The rebel government of the Nuba Mountains region of Sudan has imposed restrictions on accessing the Internet, saying only NGOs and prominent SPLM-N figures can go online.

Internet service is already rare in the war-torn area because of lack of computers and poor infrastructure, limited mostly to some VSAT installations in some locations.

Civilians will now face the additional restriction imposed by SPLM-N. Governor Simon Kalu Kome instructed institutions that own Internet access equipment not to allow anybody to access Internet, Radio Voice of Peace reported.

He allowed SPLM-N secretaries and other prominent individuals in the civil service to access Internet in some institutions.

The governor explained that the SPLM-N Security Council decided to limit internet service access to civilians out of concern that spies could send information about the region to Sudan's government in Khartoum.

The governor said violators would be seriously charged and their equipment confiscated.