Afghanistan experienced a nationwide disruption of its internet and mobile telephone services on Tuesday. Despite the scale of the outage affecting the entire country, the ruling Taliban administration has not provided any immediate explanation for the shutdown.
This incident follows recent actions by the Taliban, who have expressed concerns about the presence of pornography online. Authorities have previously taken measures such as cutting fiber-optic links in certain provinces, officially citing concerns over morality as the primary reason.
NetBlocks, an international organization that monitors internet access, reported that the disconnection of Afghanistan’s internet services occurred in a phased manner. According to their statement, this complete internet blackout is part of the Taliban’s broader efforts to enforce morality measures across the nation.
The sudden and widespread loss of connectivity raises significant challenges for residents who rely on internet and mobile networks for communication, information, and business activities. While the intentions behind these actions are proclaimed to align with moral standards, they have sparked concern among the population and international observers about the impact on freedom of information and communication.
As the situation develops, the global community and Afghans alike are left awaiting further details and a potential response from the Taliban administration to clarify their stance and future plans regarding internet access.