MTN Group has confirmed that the Taliban has forced cellular operators in Afghanistan to shut off their networks at night, after attacks on networks.
Earlier this week, the BBC reported that cellular operators in the war-torn country had acceded to the Taliban's demands to switch off their networks from 5pm to 7am each day. This was because the Taliban asserted that US, Nato and Afghanistan government troops were using the cellular networks to track their fighters.
According to those reports, about 10 base stations belonging to all four of Afghanistan's mobile phone companies have been attacked.
MTN Group issued a statement saying: "We can confirm that there were incidents at Areeba Afghanistan's sites in Kandahar and Zabul. However, our staff members are safe and we are monitoring the situation."
The group does not define what it meant by "incidents".
The statement also says MTN Group is working closely with the management of its operation in Afghanistan and is in constant liaison with the relevant authorities in the country.
MTN Group has made a name for itself by entering markets that many other operators felt were too risky. Its foreign operations include countries such as Nigeria, Liberia, Iran and Afghanistan.
MTN Group won its Afghanistan rights in 2005 and is one of four cellular licensees in the country. As at 30 September 2007, MTN Afghanistan achieved 66% growth in its subscriber base, to 877 000.
Related story:
MTN concerned by Afghanistan threats
Share
