Hormuud Telecom, one of Somalia’s largest telecommunications companies, has accused Kenyan forces of destroying one of its critical mobile network facilities in the Lower Juba region.
The company said the destruction caused a major disruption to essential telecommunications and mobile money services relied upon by thousands of Somali citizens.
According to Hormuud, the facility located in the village of Dhuuyac-Garoon was destroyed on January 14, 2026—the same site that was previously targeted in a similar incident on January 21, 2019.
“We regret to inform our customers and the Somali public that Kenyan government forces have once again deliberately destroyed our telecommunications equipment,” the company said in a statement.
Hormuud added that the incident resulted in significant service and financial losses and directly affected between 20,000 and 30,000 residents of Dhuuyac-Garoon and surrounding areas.
“Residents of Dhuuyac-Garoon and nearby communities have completely lost access to telecommunications and financial services provided by the company,” the statement said.
The company emphasized that its services are vital to community connectivity, business activities, and daily life—especially as residents are currently facing severe drought and extremely difficult living conditions.
Reports indicate that the facility was destroyed using landmines, with Kenyan forces accused of illegally crossing the border and operating outside the mandate of authorized forces operating inside Somalia.
Founded more than two decades ago, Hormuud Telecom is Somalia’s largest telecommunications provider and the biggest private-sector employer in the country.