The Taliban have completely shut down the internet in Afghanistan

Internet connectivity has completely disappeared across Afghanistan, reported the organization NetBlocks, which monitors internet freedom worldwide.

According to the graph published by the organization, the disconnection began on the evening of September 29.

On the evening of September 29, the level of Afghanistan’s connectivity to mobile networks and the internet dropped to nearly zero. Both wired internet and 3G/4G mobile networks were disabled, resulting in millions of people losing access to domestic and international communication.

It is reported that the internet shutdown has impacted all vital sectors of the country. For instance, all flights were canceled at Kabul International Airport, all banking services were completely paralyzed, surveillance cameras stopped working, customs operations faced issues, broadcasting of some TV channels ceased, and the entire population was left in confusion.

According to media reports, due to the internet shutdown, five international flights to Afghanistan were canceled on September 30: three from Dubai, two from Istanbul, and one from Moscow to Kabul, leaving passengers bewildered.

Residents described the situation as catastrophic, noting that “without the internet and phones, everyone is like blind.”

The impact has been most severe on women and girls, who have lost access to education, as all forms of distance learning were canceled without the internet.

The Taliban, who control the government in Afghanistan, have not officially commented on why the population has been left without mobile connectivity and internet, and it is unknown when the connection will be restored.

Earlier, in mid-September, by the decision of Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, under the pretext of “preserving Islamic and moral values,” the internet was already shut down in the provinces of Balkh, Badakhshan, Kunduz, Baghlan, and Nangarhar.

The Taliban movement seized power in Afghanistan in the summer of 2021. Since then, they have imposed numerous restrictions on the population, especially on women and girls in the fields of education and work, which has provoked a sharp reaction from the international community. For this reason, more than four years later, the Taliban government has not been officially recognized by any country except Russia.