“The Taliban imposed a nationwide telecoms blackout in Afghanistan, cutting off internet and mobile networks, cutting the country off from the rest of the world.
The shutdown disrupted airlines, banking, e-commerce, online work and education, causing chaos across the country. This move by the Taliban is likely to exacerbate the economic situation in Afghanistan, where poverty, widespread hunger and high unemployment are on the rise.
Late on the evening of September 29, NetBlocks said Afghanistan “is in the process of a complete internet blackout”.
“The Taliban did not give an official reason for the shutdown, but it came weeks after the group began blocking access to fibre-optic internet in several provinces.
The Taliban said the move was aimed at preventing “immorality,” and the group had previously expressed concerns about pornography.
But critics of the decision said it was part of a wider crackdown on personal freedoms and the free flow of information.
Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban has severely restricted the rights of Afghans, especially women, and brutally suppressed dissent.
“The Taliban use their own interpretation of Sharia law to justify their extremist policies, but Islamic scholars say there is no religious justification for the group’s decision to cut off internet access.
The shutdown has affected ordinary Afghans, private businesses and government agencies. A resident of the northeastern province of Badakhshan told Radio Liberty that the shutdown has caused “many problems” for people.
“It has had many negative effects on our lives,” said the man, who asked not to be named. – People can’t work or keep in touch with their families.”
The UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in a 30 September statement, called on the Taliban to immediately and fully restore internet and telecommunications access throughout the country.
“Due to the loss of access, Afghanistan is almost completely cut off from the outside world and risks causing significant harm to the Afghan people … in particular exacerbating one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world,” the mission said.