Afghanistan Plunged into Nationwide Communications Blackout
Kabul, Sep 30 (EFE) – Afghanistan is experiencing a complete internet blackout and significant disruptions to telephone communications, according to network monitoring organizations, further isolating the country following earlier restrictions imposed by the Taliban.
The widespread outage has been confirmed by internet observatories like ‘Netblocks’, which reported a massive decline in connectivity across Afghanistan, and ‘Proton VPN’, which indicates a complete blocking of internet access based on internal data.
This escalation follows the Taliban’s mid-month ban on fiber optic internet access in northern Afghanistan, citing the prevention of “immoral activities.” this marked the frist direct limitation of network infrastructure within the country since the Taliban took power in 2021. Haji Zaid, governor of the northern province of Balj, stated at the time that “an alternative system will be established within the country for essential needs,” but provided no further details.
The taliban has yet to issue an official explanation for the nationwide blackout.As assuming control in 2021, the regime has implemented numerous restrictions across various aspects of public life, consistent with their strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.
According to Afghan media outlet ‘AMU TV’, internet services via fiber optic were shut down across Afghanistan around 5:00 PM local time on Monday, followed by interruptions to mobile connections, which are expected to be reduced to 2G service.
Local media, including ‘Tolo News’, report that international agencies in kabul have lost contact with their offices, and mobile internet and satellite television are experiencing severe disruptions throughout much of the country.
Exile organizations, such as ‘Nai in Exile’, have strongly condemned the blackout, labeling it a “great betrayal” that hinders access to education, data, and economic opportunities. they assert that the action is part of a broader effort by the taliban to silence the Afghan population and prevent interaction with the outside world.
The blackout impacts over 43 million citizens and is causing particular concern among diaspora communities who have lost contact with family and friends within Afghanistan.
The disruption is also affecting air travel, with the ‘Flightradar’ monitoring platform reporting several flight cancellations and deviations from Afghan airspace.
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