KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghanistan has plunged into a nationwide telecom blackout after the Taliban government shut down internet and mobile networks, cutting off millions from communication and information access.
The disruption, confirmed by internet watchdog NetBlocks, follows weeks of intermittent fiber optic outages that the Taliban said were part of efforts to curb immorality online.
The Afghanistan telecom blackout has left cities, including the capital Kabul, without internet connectivity, mobile phone service, or satellite television access.
International media outlets such as AFP reported losing contact with their Kabul bureaus, while residents said connections stopped around 5 pm local time Monday.
Since retaking power in 2021, the Taliban have enforced a series of strict social policies aligned with their interpretation of Islamic Sharia law. The latest shutdown marks the most severe restriction yet on Afghanistan’s digital landscape.
Afghanistan is now in the midst of a total internet blackout as Taliban authorities move to implement morality measures, NetBlocks reported on Mastodon.
Multiple networks were disconnected through the morning in a stepwise manner telephone services are currently also impacted.
The Taliban have not provided a detailed explanation or timeline for restoring access. Officials have previously stated they were developing alternative internet routes, though no specifics were offered.
Telecom analysts warn the move could isolate Afghanistan’s economy, disrupt banking operations, and deepen the country’s humanitarian crisis.
Experts Warn of Blackout’s Impact on Freedom and Economy
Digital rights experts expressed alarm, calling the Afghanistan telecom blackout a major setback for freedom of expression and access to information.
Cutting off the internet is a blunt instrument that harms ordinary citizens far more than it curtails so called immorality, said Dr. Samira Alizai, a cybersecurity researcher based in Berlin. This decision erases one of the few remaining spaces for civic engagement and international contact.
International human rights organizations also voiced concern. Human Rights Watch warned that the blackout could conceal ongoing restrictions and abuses, particularly against women and journalists.
Economists predict the shutdown could severely damage Afghanistan’s fragile private sector, which relies heavily on online banking, trade, and remittance systems.
According to NetBlocks, Afghanistan’s connectivity levels dropped below 5 percent of typical traffic late Monday. By early Tuesday, the watchdog confirmed complete nationwide disconnection.
The country now joins North Korea and Turkmenistan as one of the few nations with government enforced internet blackouts.
Telecom data from the World Bank shows Afghanistan had more than 9 million mobile internet users in 2024, accounting for roughly 20 percent of its population.
A prolonged outage would therefore impact nearly all financial institutions, government services, and media outlets. In recent weeks, users in provinces such as Herat, Kandahar, and Nangarhar had reported slow or intermittent service, raising speculation of a planned national shutdown.
In Kabul, residents described a sudden loss of connection as the workday ended. “I was processing payroll when everything stopped,” said Farid Noori, a small business owner. We tried switching networks, but nothing worked. By night, even phone calls were gone.
Former journalist Hamid Haidari, now living abroad, described the silence as heartbreaking. Loneliness enveloped the entire country, Haidari said on X. Afghanistan has now officially taken first place in the competition with North Korea for disconnection.
University students and entrepreneurs voiced frustration, warning the blackout would devastate education and commerce.
We depend on online resources for learning and earning, said Fatima Rahmani, a Kabul based freelancer. Without the internet, we are invisible to the world.
Ongoing Blackout Raises Global Concern and Economic Fears
The Taliban’s Ministry of Communications has yet to issue an official statement. Analysts say the Afghanistan telecom blackout may continue as part of a broader push to enforce moral codes and suppress dissent.
International observers, including the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, are monitoring the situation. Diplomatic sources indicated that Western governments may raise the issue in upcoming regional talks, citing potential violations of international human rights norms.
If prolonged, this blackout will not only isolate Afghanistan but also jeopardize humanitarian coordination, said Omar Khattak, a UN digital infrastructure consultant.
Business leaders have warned that sustained disruption could halt imports, delay aid distribution, and worsen unemployment.
The telecom shutdown follows a string of restrictive policies. Earlier this month, the Taliban ordered the removal of books written by women from universities and banned the teaching of human rights and sexual harassment topics.
Women have already been barred from education beyond grade six, with midwifery and other training programs closed in late 2024. The Afghanistan telecom blackout thus compounds existing barriers, eliminating one of the last avenues for online learning and communication.
The nationwide telecom blackout in Afghanistan underscores the Taliban’s tightening grip over digital and social freedoms. As the country enters an era of near total isolation, millions are cut off from essential services, information, and the outside world.
Observers warn that the longer the blackout persists, the deeper the humanitarian and economic toll will become leaving Afghanistan increasingly alone in a hyper connected world.