Facebook and Twitter both blocked in #Mali at the moment. — Phil Paɔlεtta (@philinthe_) August 17, 2016The Malian government allegedly shut down twitter and Facebook on Wednesday, following protests that resulted in three casualties and several injuries. The blocking of Twitter and Facebook, moments after the protest were reported to have turned violent, suggests that the two events may not be completely exclusive. Restricting access to social media is not foreign to African countries but, it usually occurrs during presidential elections. Governments in Ethiopia, Congo, Chad, Uganda, and elsewhere have found elections are a particularly popular time to crack down on social media.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 18, 2016 15:54 UTC