Taliban Imposes Nationwide Internet and Telecom Blackout in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is experiencing a total internet blackout as the Taliban government has shut down telecommunications nationwide, weeks after severing fibre-optic internet connections in parts of the country. According to internet watchdog Netblocks, multiple networks have been disconnected, and telephone services are also impacted.

International news agencies have reported losing contact with their offices in Kabul, and mobile internet and satellite TV have been severely disrupted across the country. Flights from Kabul International Airport have also been affected, with at least eight departures and arrivals cancelled on Tuesday, according to Flightradar24.

The Taliban have not provided an official reason for the shutdown. A Taliban official stated that the telecom restrictions would remain in place “until further notice.”

Impact on Daily Life and Education

The blackout has disrupted banking, e-commerce, and other essential services. Residents and business owners have expressed concern over the long-term consequences.

• In Takhar province, a money changer said his daughters’ online English classes were interrupted, leaving them without educational opportunities.

• A woman lamented that her online studies and prospects for remote work were now jeopardized.

• Hamid Haidari, former editor-in-chief of 1TV, described the blackout as leaving Afghanistan isolated online, comparing the country to North Korea in terms of internet disconnection.

Broader Restrictions Under Taliban Rule

The shutdown is part of a series of restrictions imposed since the Taliban returned to power in 2021:

• Books written by women were removed from university curricula.

• Teaching of human rights and sexual harassment has been banned.

• Women and girls above age 12 are barred from continuing formal education, with midwifery courses suspended since late 2024.

Former Afghan parliamentarian Mariam Solaimankhil, now in the US, highlighted the “deafening silence online without Afghan voices.”

The Taliban previously claimed that an alternative internet route would be created but provided no details. The nationwide blackout marks the latest step in the group’s effort to enforce restrictions under their interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.