Taliban Imposes Nationwide Internet Blackout in Afghanistan, Citing Morality

Afghanistan has been plunged into a total telecommunications blackout, with the Taliban enforcing a nationwide shutdown of internet and mobile services. This drastic measure comes weeks after the group began severing fibre-optic internet connections across the country, citing concerns over ‘immorality’.

Internet watchdog Netblocks confirmed the total connectivity blackout, reporting that multiple networks were disconnected in a stepwise manner throughout the morning, with telephone services also impacted. International news agencies, including AFP, have lost contact with their offices in Kabul, highlighting the severe disruption.

The shutdown has also affected mobile internet and satellite TV, and reports indicate disruptions to flights from Kabul airport. While many residents in Kabul initially experienced the fibre-optic internet cessation late in the working day, the full impact, particularly on banking services and businesses, is expected to become evident on Tuesday morning.

Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban has progressively imposed numerous restrictions in line with its interpretation of Islamic Sharia law. Business leaders had previously warned that a continued internet ban would severely cripple their operations. Hamid Haidari, former editor-in-chief of Afghan news channel 1TV, lamented the situation, stating that ‘loneliness enveloped the entire country’ and comparing Afghanistan’s internet disconnection to North Korea.

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