Somalia Powerless to Stop Al-Shabaab Mobile Internet Shutdown

Mogadishu — Osman Ali, the owner of an electronics shop in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, has been hard-hit since Al-Shabaab forced the biggest telecoms company to switch off its mobile internet service in this Horn of Africa nation.

"I don't understand why the government has not done anything to deal with the situation. It could at least try and find an alternative for the people. This has thrown the country into darkness. We are left behind," Ali told IPS from his shop, explaining that his sales had dropped dramatically since the shutdown.

In January, Al-Shabaab issued a 15-day ultimatum for local giant, Hormuud Telecom, to stop proving mobile internet and fibre optic services because it said they were used by Western spy agencies to collect information on Muslims.

Hormuud officials said company staff were forced "at gun point" by Al-Shabaab fighters to switch off the mobile internet service.

According to Internet World Stats, more than 125,000 of the country's 10 million people use the internet in Somalia. Tens of thousands of people who relied on Hormuud's services have been unable to access the internet on their mobile phones from Feb. 6. However, fixed broadband services are still available.

The Mayor of Mogadishu, Mohamed Nur Tarzan, told the media that Hormuud officials had said company staff were forced "at gunpoint" by Al-Shabaab fighters to switch off the mobile internet service.

Hormuud, which claims to be the market leader in south and central Somalia "with over 60 percent of market share in both mobile and broadband services", has not officially commented on the ban.

However, a Hormuud official told IPS on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, that they had no option but to comply.

"I don't think we had another alternative ... we are just business people and cannot confront an armed group's orders. We tried our best to convince them [Al-Shabaab] that our services do not harm the public in any way, but that was in vain," the official said.

The company has switched off the service not only to areas controlled by Al-Shabaab but across the centre of the country and in Mogadishu. However, the ban has not affected the northeastern regions of Puntland and the northwestern province of Somaliland where separate mobile networks operate.