Kabul / Islamabad / Global Desk — The Taliban regime in Afghanistan issued a denial on Wednesday of allegations that it has imposed a nationwide internet ban, after citizens across multiple provinces reported abrupt communications blackouts disrupting daily life. Officials blamed malfunctioning fiber-optic infrastructure for the outages, yet no timeline for restoration was offered.
Rising Disconnections, Growing Alarm
Over the past days, internet connectivity — including mobile and fixed broadband services — has severely degraded in several major regions of Afghanistan. Banks have halted many online transactions, airlines have canceled flights, and humanitarian groups say critical operations are now impeded by the communications breakdown.
One airline, Kam Air, suspended flights to Kabul before announcing plans to resume later in the day. The blackout has also left many families cut off from loved ones, using social media and messaging apps to express distress and uncertainty.
Taliban’s Official Response: Infrastructure Blamed, Not Policy
In its first public response to the blackout, the Taliban released a terse statement asserting that a “ban” on internet services is a false narrative. The statement, reportedly circulated in WhatsApp groups for journalists, quotes spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid as saying that the disruptions are the result of old, deteriorating fiber-optic cables — they claimed repair and replacement efforts are underway.
“There is nothing like the rumors being spread that we have imposed a ban on the internet,” the communication said. But it did not explain exactly when service would return or provide assurances of access continuity.
History of Partial Shutdowns & Morality Claims
This latest episode is not without precedent. In mid-September, the Taliban banned fiber-optic internet in Balkh province, citing a decree by leader Hibatullah Akhundzada that the measure was needed to curb “immorality.” That shutdown affected government offices, businesses, and homes, though mobile data networks remained intact.
Over time, similar restrictions have reportedly extended to provinces including Baghlan, Badakhshan, Kunduz, Nangarhar, and Takhar, according to local officials. In some areas, all fiber connectivity has gone dark, leaving residents forced to rely on limited mobile or satellite options.
Observers note that even before the complete breakdown, the regime had intermittently restricted access to certain social media platforms and blocked content it deems immoral. The current scale of the shutdown, however, appears more sweeping and systematic.
Human Impact: Communication, Economy, Aid
The blackout’s consequences are immediate and harsh. Afghans who fled the country and rely on online tools to keep in touch with family say they are anxious and feeling disconnected. One expatriate described repeatedly calling relatives for days, with no response, fearing worse.
Aid agencies warn that reliable communications are essential for coordinating relief, medical evacuation, and information flow — especially in crisis zones. As connectivity falters, those tasks grow exponentially more difficult.
Businesses dependent on digital infrastructure — from online banking to e-commerce and logistics — are also seeing operations grind to a halt. In many provinces, educational programs that rely on online platforms are disrupted, particularly affecting women and girls who already face severe constraints on mobility.
International & UN Calls for Restoration
The United Nations mission in Afghanistan urged the Taliban to restore internet and telecom services immediately, warning that cutting access further deepens the humanitarian and economic crisis. The UN emphasized the role of communication in life-saving assistance and the protection of human rights.
Several governments and human rights organizations have also expressed concern, viewing the blackout as a violation of fundamental freedoms: freedom of speech, right to information, and the ability to connect with the world.
Is It a Ban — or a Strategy?
Analysts are split over whether the blackout is a technical crisis or an intentional strategy. The Taliban’s claim that worn-out infrastructure is to blame is plausible given Afghanistan’s underinvestment in telecom systems. But many observers argue that repeated shutdowns tied to morality edicts suggest a political motive.
They suggest the blackout may serve multiple purposes:
- To curtail dissent by disrupting digital organizing and information sharing
- To limit external scrutiny by isolating Afghanistan from media and monitoring
- To consolidate control over digital channels and surveillance
- To reinforce ideological narratives by framing the internet as a moral threat
Exactly how far the rules will go — whether full restoration will occur or only tightly controlled access resumed — remains uncertain.
What’s Next
As the blackout continues, these developments will be key to watch:
- Restoration timeline: Will connectivity return quickly, or will outages linger for days or weeks?
- Selective reopenings: Will the Taliban re-enable limited, censored internet rather than full access?
- International pressure: Whether the UN, governments, and aid bodies can influence a reversal
- Impact on society: How the blackout affects education (especially for girls), health services, commerce, and daily life
- Long-term control: Whether the regime will maintain tighter control or revert to earlier patterns of tolerance
For now, millions of Afghans are stranded in digital silence — awaiting either return of connectivity or clarity on whether the shutdown is a temporary technical fix or a step in a broader campaign of digital repression.
Leave a Reply