Taliban administration has announced a sweeping internet ban across five northern provinces of Afghanistan, stating the move is aimed at stopping “immoral activities” online. Officials in Kunduz, Badakhshan, Baghlan, Takhar and Balkh said on Wednesday that fiber optic internet services have been shut down in homes, offices and businesses throughout the region. This is the first such step taken since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, although the group has implemented several other restrictions in the past, including barring girls from attending high school and preventing women from working in many sectors. While fixed-line internet connections have been cut, cell phone data access remains available, according to provincial government statements. Officials said an alternative internet solution will be provided for essential needs, though no timeline was shared.
Provincial statements highlighted that the restriction specifically targets all connections via fiber optic cable. This means businesses, schools, universities and public offices in the affected provinces now face disruption in their regular operations. By leaving mobile data accessible, Taliban authorities appear to be attempting to limit large-scale or household internet usage rather than completely cutting off all digital communication. However, the ban affects key population centers in the north of Afghanistan, significantly reducing access to online services, educational resources and communication tools that residents have increasingly relied on since 2021.
The decision is framed by Taliban officials as part of their moral oversight of society, echoing previous public remarks about pornography and inappropriate interaction between men and women online. Former US Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad criticized the move as excessive and unnecessary, noting that many Islamic countries simply filter or block certain categories of content rather than shutting down entire networks. “If pornography is really the concern, like as in many Islamic countries, it can easily be filtered. Many countries in the Islamic world do exactly that,” Khalilzad said in response to the announcement. His remarks reflect growing international unease over Taliban’s restrictions, which already include codified rules on public behavior such as requiring women to cover their faces, men to grow beards, and prohibiting drivers from playing music in vehicles.
Rights organizations and several governments have repeatedly condemned Taliban measures that restrict freedom of expression and women’s participation in public life. The latest internet ban extends those controls into the digital sphere, curtailing access to information and online services for hundreds of thousands of residents. As fiber optic connections remain offline in the northern provinces, businesses, students and professionals face new obstacles in conducting routine activities that depend on stable internet access. The administration’s pledge of an alternative option for essential services has yet to materialize, leaving uncertainty about how people in the affected regions will manage their digital needs.
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