Taliban Orders Internet Blackout Across Afghanistan, Impacting Services and Aid

Internet and Mobile Services Cut

• 🚫 The Taliban have ordered the cutting of internet and mobile phone data services across Afghanistan, according to diplomatic and industry sources.
• 📉 NetBlocks, an international internet monitoring organization, reported that connectivity in the country dropped to around 1% of normal levels.
• 🔌 The outage was implemented in phases, with the final stage affecting telephone services that share infrastructure with the internet.

Impact on Services and Aid

• ✈️ Residents and monitoring services reported disruptions to flights and financial services in addition to connectivity loss.
• 🆘 The UN refugee agency stated it could no longer reach its frontline aid workers due to the communication blackout.
• 💼 Shabir, an employee at a private internet service provider, reported that his job had been suspended due to the order.

Taliban's Stated Concerns and Previous Actions

• ⚖️ The Taliban administration offered no immediate explanation for the outage and could not be reached for comment.
• 🔞 The Taliban have previously expressed concern about online pornography.
• 📱 In recent weeks, authorities have also cut fiber optic links to some provinces, citing morality concerns.

Broader Context of Restrictions

• 📉 Afghanistan is facing multiple crises, including an earthquake aftermath, returning refugees, and drought.
• 🔒 Restrictions ordered by the Taliban leadership have become increasingly hardline.
• 👩‍💼 This month, authorities prevented women working for the UN from entering its offices, and women have been banned from many jobs and girls from high school.
• 🌐 For many women, internet access has been an economic and social lifeline.