Afghanistan Reconnects After Taliban’s Unprecedented Internet Blackout, Fears Linger

Afghanistan has reconnected to the global internet after a two-day nationwide blackout, an unprecedented move by the Taliban regime that plunged millions into isolation and paralyzed the nation’s fragile economy. The 48-hour shutdown, which began Monday evening and ended abruptly on Wednesday, triggered widespread panic and despair, leaving Afghans cut off from family, work, and the outside world.

For two days, banking services froze, businesses ground to a halt, and critical communication channels ceased to function. Families abroad struggled to reach loved ones, while those within Afghanistan faced profound anxiety, fearing a return to the extreme isolation of the Taliban’s previous rule. Journalists, aid workers, and ordinary citizens reported a sense of dread as the country went dark, with many describing the experience as akin to living 30 years in the past.

The order for the nationwide disconnection reportedly came from the Taliban’s Supreme Leader Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, following earlier regional bans on fiber-optic internet in Balkh province to prevent ‘immoral activities.’ However, no public reason was given for the broader shutdown, nor for the sudden reconnection, fueling rumors and uncertainty.

The humanitarian and economic fallout was immediate and severe. The UN’s special rapporteur for Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, warned that the disruption could ‘sink the fragile economy with massive human rights implications.’ Human rights organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International issued urgent calls for a reversal, highlighting the internet’s role as a basic human right and a lifeline for education, especially for women and girls.

While relief swept across the country upon reconnection, a deep undercurrent of anger and fear remains. Afghans, who have grown up with internet connectivity, now grapple with the stark reality of the regime’s power to isolate them at will. Many worry that this severe measure could be repeated, further eroding personal freedoms and potentially masking human rights abuses from international scrutiny.

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