Sawt Falasteen - Major social media sites back online in Nepal after deadly protests

All major social media apps were working, an AFP reporter in Kathmandu said.

Nepal's Minister for Communication Prithvi Subba Gurung was quoted by local media as saying that the government has withdrawn its ban following an emergency cabinet meeting.

Several social media sites -- including Facebook, YouTube and X -- were blocked on Friday in the Himalayan nation of 30 million people, after the government blocked 26 unregistered platforms.

The ban sparked widespread fury, especially among the younger generation who rely heavily on the apps for communication.

It also fed into anger at the government in a country where unemployment hovers around 10 percent and GDP per capita at just $1,447, according to the World Bank.

Crowds held protests on Monday in the capital, and other cities.

Police in Kathmandu used rubber bullets, tear gas, water cannon and batons when the demonstrators pushed through barbed wire and tried to storm into a restricted area near parliament.

Amnesty International said live ammunition had been used against protesters.

Police said 17 people died in the capital and two more in Sunsari district in eastern Nepal, according to local media.

Since Friday, videos contrasting the struggles of ordinary Nepalis with the children of politicians flaunting luxury goods and expensive vacations have gone viral on TikTok, which was not blocked.

Popular platforms such as Instagram have millions of users in Nepal who rely on them for entertainment, news and business.

C.AbuSway--SF-PST