Afghanistan has entered its third day of a comprehensive nationwide internet blackout, casting a heavy pall of dread and uncertainty over millions. Already struggling with isolation under the four-year-old government, citizens are now even further cut off.
Since the communication shutdown began on Monday evening, everyday life has ground to a halt. Internet monitoring groups like NetBlocks report that communication, both internal and external, has become almost impossible. Crucial banking services are paralyzed, aircraft remain grounded, and even UN agencies, among the few international bodies still operating in the country, find themselves unable to deliver much-needed aid.
The government in Afghanistan, under Taliban rule since 2021, has remained silent on the escalating crisis. A diplomatic source, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the restrictions, indicated that the Taliban’s supreme leader, Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada, personally mandated the blackout. The alleged reason: to curb the spread of ‘vice.’ Both the diplomatic official and a representative from the Afghan Foreign Ministry fear the shutdown will persist ‘until further notice.’
Since reassuming power after the collapse of the U.S.-backed government, the Taliban administration has systematically increased Afghanistan’s isolation. Their policies include banning girls from education past the sixth grade and imposing sweeping restrictions on personal freedoms and communication, all justified on religious grounds.
Such an extensive, multi-day telecommunications blackout across an entire nation is highly unusual, even for authoritarian regimes. While Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad imposed a similar, almost nationwide shutdown at the onset of the Syrian revolution in 2012, most governments typically restrict these blackouts to specific areas and for shorter durations.
The consequences for humanitarian efforts are dire. Cash transfers and vital aid deliveries to vulnerable communities beyond Kabul, the capital, have been almost completely stopped for two days due to grounded flights. An anonymous source involved in Kabul’s aid operations highlighted security concerns. Furthermore, UN personnel in Kabul cannot reach their colleagues in other Afghan regions, including local Afghan women who are barred from entering UN facilities.
This communication paralysis comes at a critical time for aid workers. They are currently managing the aftermath of a devastating 6.0-magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan in late August, claiming over 1,400 lives. Additionally, they are grappling with the ongoing influx of more than a million Afghan refugees arriving from across the western border with Iran.
In response to these escalating challenges, the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan publicly urged the Taliban on Tuesday to immediately restore internet and telecommunication services, emphasizing the country’s dire economic state and persistent humanitarian emergencies.