MWE Correspondent
Afghanistan has been plunged into digital silence after the ruling Taliban ordered a sweeping nationwide shutdown of the internet, cutting off millions of citizens from communication, education, and global connectivity.
The order, which took effect late on September 29, 2025, has been described by observers as the most extensive clampdown on communication since the Taliban regained control of the country in 2021. Authorities announced that all internet services, including mobile data and broadband, would remain suspended until further notice.
For ordinary Afghans, the blackout has triggered feelings of isolation and despair. Families who rely on messaging apps to stay in touch with loved ones abroad say they now feel cut off from the world. “Without internet, we are blind and voiceless,” said one Kabul shopkeeper, lamenting how his daily business had collapsed overnight.
Women and girls, who have faced restrictions on physical access to schools and workplaces under Taliban rule, are particularly affected. Many depended on online platforms for education and remote jobs. “The internet was our last classroom,” a university student shared before connectivity vanished.
Small entrepreneurs and artisans who had turned to online markets for survival now fear devastating losses. Without email or social media, their ability to reach customers has vanished, worsening an already fragile economy.
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Officials from the United Nations have condemned the shutdown, urging the Taliban to restore access. The UN mission warned that disrupting digital services undermines banking systems, healthcare coordination, and humanitarian work in a country already facing one of the world’s worst crises.
The Taliban have defended the move as part of their effort to enforce “moral standards.” In a televised message, officials described the internet as a platform that fuels immorality and “un-Islamic behavior.” However, critics argue that the true motive is to stifle dissent and restrict Afghans’ access to independent information.
This is not the first time the Taliban have targeted connectivity. Earlier this year, regional bans on fiber-optic internet were imposed in provinces like Balkh and Kunduz, disrupting services long before this nationwide blackout.
With no timeline given for restoration, Afghans now face the uncertainty of life in digital darkness. For many, it feels like the country is sliding further back in time — disconnected, silenced, and isolated from the rest of the world.
