Several Afghan provinces plunged into internet blackouts this week, a move authorities suggest is aimed at controlling online activity and preventing the spread of supposedly ‘immoral’ content. This widespread disruption has been confirmed by government officials.
The directive came directly from Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme leader and Afghanistan’s head of state since 2021. According to Mahmood Ezam, a spokesperson for the Kandahar Province governor, Akhundzada ordered governors to disable Wi-Fi services across their regions to combat the ‘misuse of the internet’.
Speaking via telephone on Wednesday, Mr. Ezam explicitly stated, ‘Fiber internet was shut down by order of the Supreme Leader,’ directly attributing the action to Sheikh Haibatullah.
While specifics on what constitutes ‘misuse’ were not provided, the same directive led to Wi-Fi suspension in Balkh province. A local spokesperson confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that this measure was taken to curb the spread of ‘immoral acts’.
Sediqullah Quraishi, the information director for Nangarhar Province in eastern Afghanistan, reported that their internet connection ceased functioning on Wednesday as well.
The national government has yet to comment on these developments.
Zalmay Khalilzad, who previously served as a U.S. envoy to Afghanistan, sharply criticized the ban in Balkh, labeling it ‘absurd and unwise,’ and its stated justification ‘insulting.’
Khalilzad, who recently met with Afghanistan’s foreign minister in Kabul to discuss American hostages, warned on X (formerly Twitter) that the shutdown would ‘damage not only the province’s economy, but the country’s prospects as a whole’.
Both an anonymous administration official and a telecommunications executive, fearing reprisal, corroborated that the order originated from Sheikh Haibatullah in Kandahar and was distributed to provincial governors earlier this month. While mobile internet services remained available, broad areas of Afghanistan continue to suffer from limited connectivity.
This incident is not isolated; in recent weeks, Taliban-led officials have intensified restrictions on communication and personal liberties, citing religious justifications. This includes prohibitions on YouTubers posting content, orders for television channels in many provinces to avoid showing faces, and preventing Afghan women from accessing their workplaces at United Nations compounds in Kabul.
Traffic data from Access Now, a global digital rights organization, indicates that internet access began to decline in at least seven of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces starting Monday, although a direct link to the supreme leader’s order is yet to be confirmed.
This marks the first internet shutdown since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover and poses a significant threat to Afghanistan’s already fragile economy. Its immediate negative impact was so severe that local officials and business owners are already calling for alternative solutions from the authorities.
Israr Kamal, an online snack trader in Kandahar, lamented the situation: ‘We’re in the 21st century, and instead of making progress, unfortunately, we go back. If the government wants to be an active partner of the world, they shouldn’t impose such restrictions on the people and society.’
Mr. Ezam further reported that during a Wednesday meeting with the governor, Kandahar officials voiced strong concerns about the shutdown’s economic repercussions. Authorities are reportedly exploring options, including restricted internet access for critical government and administrative bodies.