In Afghanistan, a significant drop in internet connectivity has been reported after the Taliban began restricting access to fiber optic lines in several provinces, according to The Guardian.
Data from NetBlocks, which monitors internet governance, indicates that national connectivity has plummeted to 1%. NetBlocks emphasizes that this incident appears to be a deliberate service shutdown. Telephone communications in the country are also at risk, as they largely rely on the same fiber optic lines under limited infrastructure.
According to organization representatives, finding a way to cut off the internet while maintaining telephone services could be challenging.
Since early September, the Taliban have intensified internet control, resulting in extremely slow or unstable connections in many regions. On September 16, the spokesperson for Balkh province, Ataullah Zaid, declared that internet access in the region has been completely banned by order of the authorities "to prevent sinful actions".
Similar restrictions have been noted in the provinces of Badakhshan and Takhar in the north, as well as in Kandahar, Helmand, Nangarhar, and Urozgan in the south.
In 2024, the Kabul authorities referred to a 9,350-kilometer fiber optic network, primarily built with U.S. support, as a priority for economic development and global integration. Meanwhile, the Taliban, having returned to power, are enforcing increasing restrictions according to their interpretation of Islamic law.