"A large-scale Internet blackout swept across Afghanistan on September 29, just weeks after the ruling Taliban authorities started severing fiber-optic cables in multiple provinces, leading to localized outages. Many international and local news outlets reporting from Afghanistan have been affected by the massive outage, including RFE/RL's Radio Azadi and Radio Mashaal. "Afghanistan is now in the midst of a total Internet blackout as Taliban authorities move to implement morality measures, with multiple networks disconnected through the morning," said Internet governance watchdog Netblocks."
"On September 26, however, Haji Zahid, a local Taliban spokesman in the northern province of Balkh, said in a post on X that the ban had been ordered by their leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, " to prevent immoral activities." The Taliban has used Islamic Shari'a law to justify its extremist policies. But Islamic scholars say there are no religious grounds for the group's decision to shut down the Internet."
A nationwide Internet blackout hit Afghanistan on September 29 after Taliban authorities had severed fiber-optic cables in multiple provinces, causing localized and broad outages. Major international and local outlets, including RFE/RL's Radio Azadi and Radio Mashaal, experienced disruptions. Netblocks reported multiple networks disconnected as part of a move to implement morality measures. Taliban officials offered limited public comment, while a local spokesman said the ban was ordered by leader Haibatullah Akhundzada to prevent "immoral activities." Islamic scholars rejected religious justification for the shutdown. The blackout is part of a broader crackdown on individual freedoms, media and dissent since 2021.
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