Kabul, Afghanistan – The Taliban administration has ordered a nationwide shutdown of internet and mobile phone data services in Afghanistan.
According to Reuters, diplomatic and industry sources confirmed the blackout on September 29 yet access has been interrupted since the 16th of the same month.
Residents and monitoring groups also reported massive disruptions, including halted flights, blocked financial services, and banking operations, meanwhile several societal infrastructures including schools were also closed.
Netblocks, an internet watchdog, said connectivity there already collapsed from 0 to 1 percent as of the time being.
According to reports, Taliban has previously cited “morality concerns” like online pornography to justify restrictions, but officials have yet to give any explanation for the latest shutdown.
UNAMA CALLS FOR SERVICE RESTORATION IN AFGHANISTAN
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan or UNAMA is calling for the immediate restoration of internet and mobile services to prevent further harm to the Afghan people.
It can be revealed Afghanistan recently experienced a deadly earthquake, current severe water crisis, and the mass return of Afghan refugees expelled from other countries.
Meanwhile, the Taliban, which retook power in 2021, has tightened its conservative values on women and society at large according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
Hence, according to UNAMA, such a ban impacts the different functions of their society including access to financial systems, emergency services, and freedom of expression.