Taliban Denies Nationwide Internet Ban Amidst Ongoing Outages in Afghanistan

The Taliban government has officially rejected claims of a nationwide internet ban across Afghanistan, attributing ongoing disruptions to aging and worn-out fiber optic cables currently undergoing replacement. This marks the Taliban’s first public statement addressing a communications blackout that has significantly impacted banking, commerce, and aviation sectors.

Despite earlier reports last month from several provinces confirming an internet shutdown, reportedly due to a decree from Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada aimed at combating immorality, officials now assert that these rumors are unfounded. A statement shared with Pakistani journalists via WhatsApp and later posted on social media platform X, quoted chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, who cited “decaying fiber optic infrastructure” as the cause for nationwide disruptions, without specifying when services would be fully restored.

The outage has had a profound impact on individuals like Maruf Nabizada, an Afghan who fled to the Netherlands in 2022. He and his wife have been unable to contact relatives in Herat province for days, causing significant distress. The internet advocacy group Netblocks first reported the collapse of internet connectivity across the country, including Kabul, earlier this week, with telephone services also affected. Afghan carrier Kam Air temporarily halted flights to Kabul but has since announced a likely resumption of operations.

Humanitarian organizations, including Save the Children, have voiced serious concerns, emphasizing that reliable communications are critical for delivering life-saving assistance and coordinating with partners, urging authorities to swiftly restore connections.

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