Internet and phone services disrupted in Ethiopia's Tigray after fighting breaks out

September 25, 2026 at 05:34 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Internet and call services have been disrupted in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region after fighting broke out this week between regional forces and the national army. State-owned Ethio Telecom services are completely cut, while private operator Safaricom remains operational. The disruption has raised fears of a repeat of the communications blackout and blockade during the 2020-2022 civil war.

Key Facts

Internet and call services have been disrupted in Tigray after fighting broke out on Wednesday between regional forces and the national army.
State-owned Ethio Telecom services are completely cut, while private operator Safaricom remains operational.
Internet monitoring group NetBlocks detected a sub-national internet shutdown in northern Tigray.
The 2020-2022 civil war in northern Ethiopia killed around 600,000 people and left Tigray largely cut off from the outside world.
Tigray's ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front, ordered Safaricom and Ethio Telecom to cut off phone and internet access in the region, Reuters reported.

Communications Disruption

Internet and call services have been disrupted in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region after fighting broke out this week between regional forces and the national army. Services provided by state-owned telecoms operator Ethio Telecom have been completely cut, although those from the much smaller private firm Safaricom remain operational. Internet monitoring group NetBlocks posted on X that network data indicated a sub-national internet shutdown in northern Tigray. The Reuters news agency reported that Tigray's ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front, had ordered private operator Safaricom and state-owned Ethio Telecom to cut off access to phone and internet networks in the region.

Impact on Residents

Duke Burbridge, an American humanitarian worker in Tigray's capital, Mekelle, told the BBC that telecommunications were knocked out last night. Burbridge said there had been a scarcity of cash in Tigray for the past eight months, with people unable to access ATMs, so the lack of internet services would be devastating for everybody. Many people rely on banking and mobile money applications for transactions, with the majority using Ethio Telecom and Safaricom's networks to access these services. Clashes between Tigrayan forces and their allies and Ethiopia's federal troops broke out on Wednesday, prompting heightened tension and reports of panic buying.

Historical Context

During the two-year civil war which ended in 2022, Tigray was totally cut off from the outside world. Limited access to cash, food and medicine pushed hundreds of thousands into famine-like conditions. The 2020-2022 civil war in northern Ethiopia killed around 600,000 people. The interruptions have provoked fears of a repeat of the communications blackout and supplies blockade during that conflict.