Afghanistan has been plunged into a complete internet blackout after the Taliban government imposed a nationwide shutdown of telecommunications, weeks after beginning to cut fibre-optic connections, BBC reports.
Internet watchdog Netblocks confirmed the country was experiencing a «total internet blackout», with mobile internet and satellite TV also severely disrupted. International news outlets reported losing contact with their Kabul bureaus, while Tolo News urged viewers to rely on its social media accounts as television and radio signals were expected to face interruptions.
The Taliban have not issued an official explanation but a government official said the restrictions would remain in place until further notice. Since seizing power in 2021, the group has introduced sweeping restrictions in line with its interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.
Flights and Banking Disrupted
The blackout has affected Kabul airport, where at least eight flights were cancelled on Tuesday, according to tracking service Flightradar24. Diplomatic officials told the BBC that the shutdown could also paralyse banking and e-commerce systems nationwide. Many residents only became aware of the disruption on Tuesday morning when businesses and financial services reopened.
For weeks, internet users across Afghan provinces had reported slow connections or no access at all. Some residents told the BBC the cuts had devastated their livelihoods. A money changer in Takhar province said his daughters’ online English lessons had ended, while a woman explained she could no longer pursue her studies or seek remote work.
Former Afghan journalists and politicians voiced alarm over the silence. «Loneliness enveloped the entire country,» said Hamid Haidari, ex-editor-in-chief of 1TV. Former MP Mariam Solaimankhil wrote that the lack of Afghan voices online was «deafening».
Wider Crackdown on Education and Rights
The shutdown is the latest in a series of restrictions under Taliban rule. Earlier this month, women’s books were removed from universities as part of a ban that also outlawed the teaching of human rights and sexual harassment. Girls are barred from education beyond the age of 12, and midwifery courses were shut down in 2024, cutting off one of their last training options.
A student who lost her course said she had «no other choice except online study». After hearing about the blackout, she told the BBC, «the world felt dark to me».
The Taliban have said they are working on an alternative route for internet access but have provided no details.
Kursiv also reports that Afghan authorities have started to curb the use of fibre-optic internet on September 18.
