Complete Internet Outage Isolates Afghanistan by Taliban Order

Afghanistan – In a new move that further isolates the country, the Taliban have cut fiber optic and communication services across Afghanistan, announcing that the outage will continue “until further notice.”

An Afghan source told Agence France-Presse that there is no alternative system allowing communication, warning that this measure will directly affect the banking, customs, and public service sectors throughout the country.

Meanwhile, NetBlocks, an organization specializing in internet monitoring and cybersecurity, reported that total connectivity within Afghanistan has dropped to less than 1%, noting that the complete shutdown has caused an almost total halt of mobile and fixed-line phone services.

This development comes days after the Taliban announced on September 16 a ban on the internet and a “network shutdown” by order of their leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, as part of a series of strict measures imposed by the movement on the population, especially women, who face increasing restrictions in various areas.

Observers view this step as a serious escalation in the Taliban’s policy to tighten internal control, increasing Afghanistan’s isolation from the outside world and worsening the suffering of civilians.