KABUL :<\/strong>Afghanistan was plunged into its most severe communications blackout in four years on Monday after Taliban authorities reportedly ordered a nationwide cut of fibre-optic internet services, citing a crackdown on what they describe as \u201cimmorality\u201d and \u201cvice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the first countrywide communications shutdown of this scale since the Taliban\u2019s return to power in August 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Internet-access watchdog NetBlocks<\/strong> confirmed that live network metrics showed national connectivity had collapsed to just 14% of normal levels<\/strong>, describing it as a \u201cnear-total nationwide telecoms disruption.\u201d The outage extends across all major population centers and rural provinces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The disruption stems from a decree by Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada<\/strong>, which earlier banned fibre-optic internet in several provinces as a measure to \u201cprevent immoral activities.\u201d What began as a localized prohibition has now been expanded nationwide<\/strong>, effectively cutting off millions of Afghans from the global web.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The blackout has had devastating consequences<\/strong> for Afghanistan\u2019s 40 million citizens:<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the Taliban administration has not issued a formal confirmation<\/strong> of the nationwide blackout, regional spokesmen previously defended the ban, saying it was necessary to prevent \u201cvice\u201d and promising that \u201calternative options\u201d would be introduced. Critics argue the Taliban themselves remain heavy users of encrypted messaging apps and social media for propaganda and internal coordination, highlighting a double standard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Human rights groups and media watchdogs condemned the move as a direct attack on freedom of expression<\/strong>. Analysts warn it represents the Taliban\u2019s most aggressive attempt yet to isolate Afghans from the outside world<\/strong> and tighten control over information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the blackout still in force, millions in Afghanistan remain cut off, voiceless, and invisible<\/strong>, as the international community scrambles to assess the humanitarian fallout of this sweeping communications ban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n KABUL :Afghanistan was plunged into its most severe communications blackout in four years on Monday after Taliban authorities reportedly ordered a nationwide cut of fibre-optic internet services, citing a crackdown on what they describe as \u201cimmorality\u201d and \u201cvice.\u201d This is the first countrywide communications shutdown of this scale since the Taliban\u2019s return to power in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6525,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6524","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international"],"yoast_head":"\nConnectivity Collapse<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Root Cause of the Ban<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Impact on Daily Life<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Taliban\u2019s Position<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
International Reactions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"