2026-04-06T16:34:43+00:00
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Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraq’s federal government has blocked the messaging
platform Telegram as part of measures aimed at curbing armed group activity and
strengthening security, a government source told Shafaq News on Monday.
The decision followed coordination with security and
intelligence agencies, with authorities pointing to the platform’s use by some
armed factions and seeking to disrupt their communications as part of broader
efforts to contain the situation and reduce drone-related incidents.
Despite the restriction, the source noted, channels
linked to these groups remain accessible through virtual private networks
(VPNs), allowing users to bypass the block.
The digital rights group Tech 4 Peace reported on Friday
that Telegram had been restricted in Iraq while remaining accessible in Iraqi
Kurdistan, with no immediate official explanation at the time. Users in Baghdad
and several provinces, including Basra, Najaf, Saladin, Kirkuk, and Diyala,
experienced the disruption simultaneously, with the cause initially unclear
before the measure was confirmed.