Ethiopia restores access to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp

Ethiopia temporarily restricted access to some social media platforms amid the ongoing Tigray conflict and recent postponement of national elections.

Internet rights group, NetBlocks, reported on Sunday evening that data showed that three platforms - facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram had been restricted.

"Network data show Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram restricted in #Ethiopia; incident comes amid renewed international condemnation over #Tigray conflict and the postponement of elections," Net Blocks posted on Twitter.

As of Monday, May 17, some internet users confirmed the outage but said service had been restored especially in respect of Facebook.

In November 2020, internet access was cut to parts of the country specifically to the northern Tigray region where government was battling renegade regional forces.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is on record to have said that internet was neither air nor food and would be cut as and when the government deemed it fit.

The federal government has in the past accused the ousted TPLF government of hiring internet mercenaries to use social media to drive their agenda.

"It's now working" an official at @ethiotelecom told me. Still, officials are not clear about what really happened. #Ethiopia

— Ameyu Etana (@ameyuetana) May 17, 2021

⚠️ Confirmed: Network data show Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram restricted in #Ethiopia; incident comes amid renewed international condemnation over #Tigray conflict and the postponement of elections pic.twitter.com/WfPSFU915I

— NetBlocks (@netblocks) May 17, 2021