Internet service cut for half a million Iraqis due to fiber optic cable damage
Internet service cut for half a million Iraqis due to fiber optic cable damage
2025-11-22 04:36
Shafaq News – Kirkuk
A source in the Kirkuk Governorate Communications Department reported on Saturday that there was a near-complete internet outage in Hawija district and several of its sub-districts, after the main fiber optic cable supplying the area was cut due to excavation work carried out by a service provider.
The source told Shafaq News Agency that the excavation work was carried out without prior coordination with the communications department, which caused direct damage to the cable and widespread disruption to internet and communications services within the district, whose population is estimated at about 520,000 people. This affected the work of official departments, companies, and educational institutions that depend on the network to carry out their daily tasks.
He added that the field maintenance teams moved immediately to the site of the breakage as soon as it was reported, and began the initial inspection procedures to determine the extent of the damage in preparation for the repair process.
He noted that restoring service may take several hours or more, depending on the amount of damage to the optical path and the parts that need to be replaced or soldered.
The source called on service providers and contractors to coordinate in advance with the communications department before starting any excavation work, in order to avoid the recurrence of such malfunctions that cause service disruptions for citizens and disrupt many vital facilities.
shafaq.com
