Afghanistan has plunged into an unprecedented digital blackout as Taliban authorities severed all internet and mobile communications nationwide on September 29, 2025. The move has cut off more than 43 million Afghans from the outside world, a sweeping act the Taliban describe as a step to enforce "morality measures."
What Happened
The blackout represents the largest telecommunications disruption in Afghanistan’s history. Fiber-optic networks and mobile services were simultaneously disconnected across all 34 provinces. Connectivity levels fell to below 1% of normal activity by Monday night, according to monitoring agencies.
The nationwide shutdown follows weeks of regional restrictions that began on September 15, when the Taliban tested targeted disruptions in northern provinces, including Balkh, Kunduz, and Badakhshan.
Who Ordered the Blackout
Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada gave the order, with provincial administrators enforcing the directive. Officials like Haji Attaullah Zaid of Balkh confirmed that regional bans were intended to “prevent vice.” Now, the ban has gone nationwide.
The blackout has triggered a sudden economic paralysis. Najibullah, a Kabul shopkeeper, explained:
"We are blind without phones and internet. All our business relies on mobiles. Deliveries are with mobiles. The market is totally frozen."
Banks, customs, small businesses, airlines, hospitals, and schools have all been impacted. Entire industries are unable to operate without digital access.
Why It Matters
The Taliban justify the blackout as a way to curb “immoral activities.” However, critics argue it is part of a broader strategy to silence dissent, control society, and restrict women’s freedoms even further. The 9,350 km of fiber-optic lines—built largely with international aid—are now effectively useless under Taliban rule.
Women and Girls Hit Hardest
The blackout has cruel consequences for women, who already face exclusion from schools, universities, gyms, and workplaces since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
- Education: Thousands of girls relied on online classes provided by exiled Afghan educators and NGOs. Now, that access is gone. “The internet was the only thing we had left. They took schools, universities, parks, gyms, and now they are taking the internet too,” one young Afghan woman told CNN.
- Economic Survival: Many women artisans, tailors, and online entrepreneurs depended on platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram to sustain their families. With these gone, income sources vanish overnight.
- Isolation: Afghan women abroad can no longer connect with families back home, severing one of their last emotional lifelines.
Global Reaction
- Digital Rights Groups: NetBlocks confirmed a “total internet blackout” and warned this is one of the harshest examples of digital authoritarianism worldwide.
- Women’s Rights Advocates: Sabena Chaudhry of Women for Afghan Women said the blackout “is not only silencing millions but also extinguishing their lifeline to the outside world.”
- Media & Diaspora: Former Afghan journalists compared Afghanistan to North Korea in terms of digital isolation. Afghan families abroad describe the silence as “deafening.”
Humanitarian and Security Fallout
The shutdown is not just about silencing voices—it also carries dire humanitarian and geopolitical risks:
- Humanitarian Aid Blocked: UN and NGO relief workers cannot coordinate field operations without communication lines.
- Flights Disrupted: At least eight flights in and out of Kabul International Airport were canceled due to communication breakdowns.
- Emergency Services Stalled: Hospitals and rescue workers cannot contact patients or respond to crises quickly.
- Terror Monitoring Risks: International intelligence agencies lose oversight of militant activity, especially ISIS-K networks in Afghanistan.
The Bigger Picture
This blackout cements Afghanistan’s place among the world’s most digitally isolated nations. No country recognizes the Taliban government, and this move further entrenches Afghanistan’s isolation. Human rights experts warn it could become a template for other authoritarian regimes to justify nationwide blackouts under the guise of “morality.”
Conclusion
The Taliban’s decision to impose a total internet blackout is more than a restriction of connectivity—it is a deliberate act of silencing an entire nation. For Afghan citizens, especially women and youth, this blackout doesn’t just cut access to the web. It severs their last threads of hope, education, livelihood, and global connection.
The world now watches as Afghanistan slips deeper into digital darkness, with devastating consequences for its people and dangerous implications for international security.
FAQs on Afghanistan’s Internet Blackout
Q1: Why did the Taliban cut off the internet in Afghanistan?
The Taliban claim the blackout is to enforce “morality measures” and prevent “immoral activities.” However, experts say it is primarily a tool to silence dissent, suppress free speech, and tighten control over society, especially women and youth.
Q2: How many people are affected by the Afghanistan internet blackout?
Over 43 million Afghans have been cut off from the internet and mobile communications due to the nationwide shutdown.
Q3: How long will the internet blackout in Afghanistan last?
The Taliban have not given an official timeframe. Officials have said the blackout will continue “until further notice.”
Q4: What are the immediate impacts of the shutdown?
The blackout has paralyzed banking, trade, customs operations, aviation, healthcare, education, and emergency services. Flights have been canceled, aid groups cannot coordinate, and businesses—especially small and women-led ones—are unable to function.
Q5: How does the blackout affect women and girls in Afghanistan?
The blackout cuts off girls’ access to online education and women’s ability to run small digital businesses or connect with support networks abroad. It deepens their exclusion from public life, making them even more isolated.
Q6: Is this the first time the Taliban restricted internet access?
No. Regional shutdowns began on September 15, 2025, in provinces like Balkh and Kunduz. The September 29 blackout is the first full nationwide disconnection.
Q7: How does this compare to other countries’ restrictions?
With the blackout, Afghanistan now rivals North Korea as one of the most digitally isolated nations in the world.
Q8: What are the global implications of this shutdown?
The blackout hampers humanitarian aid delivery, prevents monitoring of extremist activity, and further isolates Afghanistan from the international community. It may also set a precedent for other authoritarian regimes to follow.
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