The Sudanese government announced on Sunday its intention to restrict voice and video calling services on the messaging app WhatsApp starting next Friday, citing “national security concerns.”
In a statement, the Telecommunications and Postal Regulatory Authority (a government body) said:
“Voice and video calling services on WhatsApp will be restricted in Sudan as precautionary measures in response to security threats, in order to preserve national security and the country’s higher interests.”
The statement, as reported by the official Sudanese News Agency (SUNA), clarified that the restriction will take effect starting Friday, July 25, and will remain in place until further notice.
The Authority emphasized that other WhatsApp features, such as text messaging and group sharing, will remain fully functional without any limitations. It also issued an apology for any inconvenience this restriction may cause to users, and expressed appreciation for their “understanding in prioritizing the interests of the nation over personal convenience.”
Since mid-April 2023, Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been engaged in a brutal war that has killed more than 20,000 people and displaced or forced nearly 15 million from their homes, according to the United Nations and local authorities. A separate study conducted by American universities estimated the death toll to be around 130,000.
Meanwhile, the RSF’s control over territory has been rapidly shrinking across various regions of Sudan in favor of the army, which has expanded its advance to include the capital Khartoum and White Nile State.
