Government Orders Ban On TikTok, Telegram And Popular Online Betting App

Government Orders Ban On TikTok, Telegram And Popular Online Betting App

Government Orders Ban On TikTok, Telegram And Popular Online Betting App

The government of Somalia has declared a prohibition on the use of social media platforms TikTok and Telegram, as well as an online betting app, citing their exploitation by “terrorist” entities for the dissemination of propaganda.

This decision comes ahead of a highly anticipated second phase of a military campaign against Al-Shabaab, the Islamist militant organization that has been engaged in a violent insurgency against the central government in Mogadishu for over 15 years.

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According to an official statement from the Ministry of Communications and Technology, internet service providers have been directed to enforce this ban by August 24, or they could face unspecified legal consequences.

The ministry expressed that the aim of this action is to accelerate the fight against the terrorists who have inflicted harm on the Somali people.

They believe that these platforms, including TikTok, Telegram, and the 1XBET betting app, have been employed by these groups to share explicit content, images, and misinformation that misguide society.

Since August of the previous year, the Somali armed forces, together with local clan militias and supported by African Union troops and US airstrikes, have been carrying out an offensive against the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Shabaab in central Somalia. This operation seeks to drive the militants from the region and weaken their influence. Despite Al-Shabaab being expelled from the capital Mogadishu in 2011, they continue to control significant portions of rural territory and persist in launching lethal attacks against civilian, political, and military targets.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has pledged to eliminate the jihadist threat from the troubled Horn of Africa nation. It is expected that he will soon announce a second phase of the offensive, targeting Al-Shabaab in southern Somalia.