A man tries to use Google on his smartphone amid total telecom shutdown across the country, in Kabul | Photo: Reuters
Afghans abroad have expressed concern over an inability to reach their families in Afghanistan following a sweeping internet shutdown enforced by the Taliban administration.
The development follows what began as a partial shutdown nearly two weeks ago in the Middle Eastern country of 43 million people.
Late Monday, Netblocks, internet watchdog, confirmed a total internet blackout in Afghanistan.
“The incident is likely to severely limit the public’s ability to contact the outside world,” Netblocks said.
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By Tuesday, international news agencies said they lost contact with offices in Kabul, the capital.
Flights from Kabul airport have also been reportedly disrupted.
The looming sense of panic among has begun to spread across Afghan diaspora suddenly cut off from their loved ones.
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“We were all scared this would happen – this is seriously scary. So far I’m not getting any responses from the women I know in the country,” an X user tweeted.
“It has been more than 20 hours now and we are not able to contact our families in Afghanistan,” another X user said
The Taliban government had implemented the ban “to prevent immoral activities”.
It is the first such internet ban since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021.
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The situation raises fears of a return to the strictures of previous Taliban rule, which banned television, satellites and other mass communication devices in its war on immorality.
Analysts say the shutdown could have devastating consequences for Afghanistan, which is grappling with a humanitarian crisis.
