New satellite analysis shows Sudan’s conflict has obliterated two-thirds of telecommunications infrastructure across Darfur, severing digital lifelines for 420,000 internally displaced adults with disabilities.
El-Fasher’s Towers Fall Silent
The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project’s latest data exposes the systematic targeting of civilian infrastructure. In North Darfur’s capital El-Fasher, recent fighting has destroyed the main cell tower serving three displacement camps. Adults with disabilities who relied on these networks for emergency alerts and family contact now face complete communication blackouts. The digital divide has become a survival crisis.
Information Deserts Within Information Deserts
UNHCR estimates 16% of Sudan’s 2.6 million people trapped in active conflict zones have disabilities. Yet early warning systems depend entirely on mobile networks that no longer exist. Médecins Sans Frontières reports that adults with mobility impairments in West Darfur’s Geneina camps cannot reach the few functioning communication points. The International Committee of the Red Cross documents families losing contact for months, not knowing if disabled relatives have survived attacks.
When Phone Credit Becomes Worthless
Phone credit means nothing when towers lie in ruins. This conflict deliberately targets the digital infrastructure that refugees with disabilities depend on most. While our work focuses on areas where networks still function, Sudan’s telecommunications destruction shows how quickly connectivity becomes a matter of life and death. For adults with disabilities seeking support where networks remain intact, applications are open.