Phone network back in several towns in Gedo after two days of blackout

Telecommunication companies have resumed their operation after two days of offline communication in several areas including Garbaharey, Burdhubo and Tulobarwaqo towns of Gedo region.

Some officials said the companies were asked to stop their operations for security purpose.

“The security of the towns are well and they are under the control our troops. No single Al-Shabaab member in the towns” said a government officer who declined his name.

The administration of two main telecommunication companies in the town, Hortel Inc and Nationlink Telecom have yet to comment on the issue.

Independent reports suggest that since Saturday communication lines of several areas under town was cuff off.

Somalia’s telecommunication companies have stopped providing the internet through mobile handsets following last year’s announcement by Al-Shabab to ban the internet.

In an announcement broadcast on 9th January 2014 by a radio station affiliated with the group and later in a statement released to local media, Al-Shabaab said telecommunication companies had 15 days to comply with the order.

“Any individual or company that is found not following the order will be considered to be working with the enemy and they will be dealt with in accordance Sharia law.” the statement said.

Mobile internet (3G) was introduced to Somalia 2013 and has proven popular. Fibre optics has arrived in Mogadishu in November 2013 and homes are have been connected to it which filled the gap left the internet accession through mobile handsets.

Somalia has one of the lowest internet penetration in the world with just over 1 percent of Somalia’s estimated 10 million population connected.

Most of those who access the internet in Somalia do so through the many internet cafes that dot the country’s big cities and towns. The ban, Al-Shabab said, has not affected the cafes.