Algeria Wildfire Near Submarine Cables: HANNIBAL System Shows RTT Disruption

Forest Fire in Algeria

On July 23, 2026, at 02:09 local time, a major wildfire was reported in the Green Forest area in Algeria. The fire continues to spread and has already affected significant territories. This region is near several important points of submarine cable infrastructure, which raises concerns about potential impacts on global internet traffic.

Cables in the Fire Zone

Within a 500 km radius from the fire zone, there are several key submarine cables. Among them:

• HANNIBAL System (178 km, RFS 2009), belonging to Tunisia Telecom, with an exit in Kelibia, Tunisia (311.9 km from the fire zone).
• SeaMeWe-4 (20,000 km, RFS 2005), managed by Algerie Telecom and BSCCL, with an exit in Annaba, Algeria (15.3 km from the fire zone).
• TE North/TGN-Eurasia/SEACOM/Alexandros/Medex (3,634 km, RFS 2011), belonging to Algerie Telecom and Cyta, with an exit in Annaba, Algeria (15.3 km from the fire zone).
• PEACE Cable (25,000 km, RFS 2022), managed by Peace Cable International Network Co. Ltd., with an exit in Bizerte, Tunisia (206.6 km from the fire zone).
• Africa-1 (10,000 km, RFS 2026), belonging to G42 and Mobily, with an exit in Bejaia, Algeria (225.7 km from the fire zone).
• Janna (634 km, RFS 2005), managed by EXA Infrastructure and Regione Sardegne, with an exit in Cagliari, Italy (289 km from the fire zone).
• Trapani-Kelibia 2 (KELTRA-2) (209 km, RFS 2007), belonging to Sparkle and Tunisia Telecom, with an exit in Kelibia, Tunisia (311.9 km from the fire zone).
• Didon (170 km, RFS 2014), managed by Ooredoo Tunisie and Orange Tunisie, with an exit in Kelibia, Tunisia (311.9 km from the fire zone).

Data Analysis and Anomalies

Our measurements record significant changes in the indicators on the HANNIBAL System cable. Specifically, RTT (round-trip time) increased from the base value of 43.4 ms to 127.4 ms, which is an increase of 84.0 ms (2.7σ above the base level). This may indicate temporary disruptions in the cable's operation. Other cables in the zone are currently showing stable indicators, confirming their stability under the current situation.

Potential consequences

The fire zone is located in close proximity to key nodes of submarine cable infrastructure in Algeria and Tunisia. Deterioration in the performance of cables such as HANNIBAL System may lead to increased data transmission delays and re-routing of internet traffic through other paths. This, in turn, may create a load on neighboring cables and cause local slowdowns in internet connectivity.

Special attention should be paid to SeaMeWe-4 and TE North cables, which pass through Annaba, located just 15 km from the fire zone. Any disruption in their operation could significantly impact internet connections between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Plans for further monitoring

We will continue to monitor all submarine cables in the fire zone with a special focus on the HANNIBAL System, SeaMeWe-4, and TE North. Special attention will be paid to changes in RTT, as well as other indicators such as packet losses and connection stability. Additionally, we will track the situation of the fire and its potential impact on land infrastructure in the region.

Our updates will be published in real-time as new data becomes available.