(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
Afghanistan faces a complete internet and phone blackout as the Taliban ramps up its crackdown on what it calls immoral online activities. The shutdown hit the country on Monday, leaving millions cut off from the world just weeks after a deadly magnitude-6 earthquake struck the east.
Internet watchdog Netblocks confirmed the disruption, noting that multiple networks went dark in phases throughout the day. Telephone services took the biggest hit in the final stage, creating what experts describe as a total blackout across Afghanistan’s 43 million people. Cloudflare Radar, which tracks global internet traffic, spotted the sharpest drops in Kabul, followed by Herat in the west and Kandahar in the south.
The Taliban has long raised alarms about online pornography and similar content. Just this month, officials severed fibre-optic links to several provinces over morality concerns. Now, TOLO News reports that authorities gave mobile providers a one-week deadline to disable 3G and 4G services, sticking users with slower 2G networks only. Phone lines are also crippled because they run on the same internet infrastructure.
Taliban officials told Al Jazeera the move targets their main fibre-optic network for operations, shutting down 8,000 to 9,000 telecom pillars with no clear end date. This marks the first nationwide internet blackout since the hardline group seized power in 2021.
The timing couldn’t be worse. Afghanistan desperately needs humanitarian aid after the recent earthquake devastated communities. The shutdown will make it tougher for people to reach out for help or connect with the outside world.
Since taking control, the Taliban has tightened its grip with strict Islamic law interpretations. Women face bans from many jobs, including recent restrictions on those working for the United Nations. Girls can’t attend high school or university, pushing many to rely on online classes from foreign teachers or charities. This internet clampdown now threatens those vital education lifelines, leaving women and girls even more isolated.
As Afghanistan grapples with these telecom restrictions and ongoing humanitarian crises, the world watches closely for any signs of relief.
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