Kabul: Afghanistan has entered a nationwide internet and telecommunications blackout after the Taliban ordered a shutdown of fibre-optic connections, leaving millions of people and businesses cut off from digital communication.
Independent monitor NetBlocks confirmed the total internet blackout, with multiple networks switched off step by step through Monday morning.
Mobile internet, telephone lines, and satellite television signals have also been disrupted across the country. The Taliban have not given an official reason for the shutdown, but a senior official said the measures would remain until further notice.
The blackout has quickly spread beyond households and offices. Local media said flights at Kabul airport were disrupted, with flight tracker Flightradar24 recording at least eight cancellations on Tuesday. Diplomats warned that banking, e-commerce, and other financial systems could face paralysis without internet access.
Tolo News, one of the country’s main broadcasters, told viewers to rely on its social media accounts amid fears its TV and radio signals would also face interruptions.
The internet shutdown follows a string of Taliban restrictions on women and girls. Secondary education for girls remains banned, while midwifery courses were shut down late last year. Earlier this month, women authors were removed from university reading lists, alongside courses in human rights and sexual harassment. For many women, online study had been their only path forward.
Earlier in September, a provincial governor’s spokesperson in Balkh claimed that blocking fibre-optic services was intended to curb ‘evils.’ He said the Taliban were exploring other options for providing limited access.
The Taliban, who swept back to power in 2021 after the withdrawal of US and NATO forces, have since rolled out strict social and cultural restrictions. The latest blackout has now silenced Afghan voices both inside the country and abroad.
