On Sunday, the Somali government issued a directive to prohibit the use of TikTok, Telegram, and an online betting website, asserting that these platforms were being exploited by “terrorist” entities for the dissemination of propaganda.
This decision has been made in anticipation of the forthcoming second phase of the military operation against the radical Islamist group Shebab. This group has been engaged in a violent uprising against the central government in Mogadishu for over 15 years.
In an official announcement, the Ministry of Communication and Technology declared that it had instructed internet service providers to terminate access to the aforementioned three platforms by August 24th. Failure to comply would result in legal measures being taken, the specifics of which were not detailed.
As per the ministry’s statement, TikTok, Telegram, and the 1XBET website are utilized by “terrorist” entities and “entities promoting immorality” to distribute graphic images and videos that propagate violence and manipulate public perception.
According to the ministry, banning them will “speed up the war (…) against the terrorists who have spilled the blood of the people of Somalia”.
Starting from August 2022, the Somali military has been actively involved in an offensive operation against the Shebab, a group with affiliations to al-Qaeda. This operation is being conducted in collaboration with local clan militias, and it’s receiving support from African Union forces as well as American airstrikes.
Although Shebab militants were expelled from Mogadishu in 2011, they have entrenched themselves deeply in expansive rural regions. From these areas, they persistently launch attacks targeting both security forces and civilians.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud is committed to eradicating Islamist militias from the nation. It is anticipated that he might imminently unveil the second stage of the military campaign aimed at countering the Shebab in the southern parts of the country.