One of the top global internet providers on Monday, February 26, announced internet outages in Kenya and Egypt.
The disruption occurred due to the destruction of its subsea cable system over the weekend, which is yet to be repaired.
Giving reason for the slow response, the company cited the conflict and tensions at the Red Sea were making it difficult for its team of engineers to make the needed repairs.
“The location of the cable break is significant due to its geopolitical sensitivity and ongoing tensions, making it a challenging environment for maintenance and repair operations,” the company explained.
Explaining the extent of the destruction, the telecom indicated that the cable running from Mombasa, Kenya to Zafarana, Egypt remained compromised.
As such, the subsea cable destruction had caused internet outages for some of its clients not only in Kenya but also in East and Southern Africa.
Asking for patience, the company remarked that it was going full throttle to ensure the continuity of its services in the continent.
In the meantime, the company continued to carry traffic on its cable running between Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and South Africa, for both transmission and IP services.
While no one has come forward to claim responsibility for the destruction, the company remarked that its other cables serving different parts of the world remained unaffected.
"The team is currently working towards restoration timelines and will communicate these plans with our clients," the company stated when asked about when normalcy will be restored.
In early February, internet users had been warned of such an incident occurring.
Kenya is part of United States-led, 'Operation Prosperity Guardian' which is seeking to subdue Houthi rebels attacking ships at the Red Sea.
