Authorities in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Thursday restored internet services after a shutdown was imposed nearly a month ago after a military coup.
However, social media platforms remain blocked.
The move came after a Khartoum District Court, headed by Judge Tariq Abdulatif, ruled that internet access be immediately restored, with compensation being paid to those affected.
On Thursday, the judiciary ordered the detention of the directors of telecommunications companies and placed them under guard.
Some citizens in Khartoum told Radio Tamazuj that they endured losses since the internet services were shut down on 25 October following the military takeover.
Sudanese political activist, Asrar Kabeer, said the internet outage has caused losses, as it is associated with many businesses that constitute a source of livelihood for many citizens.
“The internet has been restored but in most cases, the signal is so weak with restrictions on social media accounts,” Kabeer said.
Osman Ali, who works as a taxi driver in Khartoum, said during the internet shutdown, many customers could no longer request a ride.
“We lost a lot, especially those of us who depend on taxi applications such as Tirhal,” Alid lamented.
He said many families were unable to communicate with their loved ones outside the country.
Mohammed Abdallah stated that internet service is a constitutional right and not a gift from anyone and that restoring the service is necessary because the service is linked to the lives of citizens.
South Sudanese citizen, Moses Sebit who resides in Khartoum, expressed happiness with the partial return of the internet and considered it a good step, and said that the Internet is akin to life in the twenty-first century.
“I hope the internet will be restored in its full capacity so that people can be updated about what is going on in the country,” Sebit said.
Source: Radio Tamazuj