Afghanistan imposes internet blackout

Connectivity was restricted in stages on Monday, with the final phase impacting telephone services. The Taliban have previously expressed concerns over online pornography, and earlier this month, authorities severed fibre-optic connections to certain provinces, citing moral reasons.

Responding to the Taliban de facto authorities’ imposition of a total internet shutdown across Afghanistan under the pretext of preventing the “misuse of internet” and spread of “immoral acts,” Smriti Singh, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for South Asia said: 

“The nationwide internet shutdown by the Taliban de-facto authorities is a reckless move that will have far-reaching consequences for delivery of aid, access to healthcare and other essential services at a time when Afghanistan is facing multiple humanitarian crises impacting almost half the population. 

“Communication and access to information are critical tools for protection and promotion of human rights and by tightening their chokehold on the flow of information, the Taliban de-facto authorities are making sure that the world doesn’t get to know about the ongoing violations inside the country. Smriti Singh, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for South Asia

“Moreover, with women and girls in Afghanistan banned from schools beyond primary level, internet access is critical for their education. This shutdown disrupts their ability to learn and cannot be justified under any circumstances. A total shutdown of this nature is inherently disproportionate and would fly in the face of international human rights standards. The Taliban must restore full connectivity immediately.”

Kabul-based Tolo News TV said the shutdown had heavily disrupted its operations, while both the Associated Press and Agence France-Presse reported being unable to reach their Kabul bureaus.

The blackout is believed to be the most widespread and coordinated telecom disruption in Afghanistan since the Taliban regained power in 2021, fueling concerns of a return to earlier restrictions, when the group banned television, satellite services, and other mass communication tools in its campaign against “immorality.”

Internet watchdog Netblocks reported a nationwide telecommunications blackout in Afghanistan, with less than 1% of normal internet activity on Monday, 29 September 2025. 

Image via NetBlocks.org