The Taliban government has rejected reports of a countrywide internet ban in Afghanistan, insisting that ongoing connectivity issues are due to aging fiber optic cables being replaced, not a deliberate shutdown.
This marks the Taliban’s first official statement following widespread concerns about a communications blackout that has disrupted banking, trade, aviation, and humanitarian work across the country.
Taliban Responds to Internet Blackout Reports
According to the statement released by Taliban officials on social media platform X and shared with journalists via WhatsApp, there is “no truth to the rumors” of an internet ban.
The group’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the disruptions are the result of decaying infrastructure. However, the statement did not clarify when full services will be restored, leaving millions of Afghans uncertain.
Families Abroad Fear Communication Breakdown
For many Afghans living abroad, the internet remains the only lifeline to their loved ones.
Maruf Nabizada, who fled Afghanistan in 2022 and now lives in the Netherlands, said his family in Herat province has been offline for days.
“When you cannot hear from your loved ones, you fear something terrible may have happened,” Nabizada told AP. “My wife cried last night because she could not speak to her mother and sister.”
He warned that if the blackout continues for weeks or months, it will isolate families even further.
Aviation and Business Severely Affected
The internet outage has had serious economic consequences. Afghan airline Kam Air said it halted flights to Kabul since Monday due to the blackout, though it expected to resume operations later Wednesday.
Meanwhile, commerce and banking remain heavily affected, adding more pressure to a struggling economy already facing international sanctions and humanitarian crises.
Aid Agencies Raise Alarm
Humanitarian organizations have urged the Taliban to restore reliable communications, stressing that a lack of internet and phone services hampers relief operations.
Save the Children issued a statement:
“Reliable communications are essential to deliver life-saving aid, coordinate with partners, and support Afghan families in need.”
Advocacy group NetBlocks was the first to report the disruption earlier this week, confirming that internet and telecom services collapsed nationwide, including in the capital Kabul.
Key Points
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Taliban denies imposing a nationwide internet ban.
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Officials blame aging fiber optic cables for outages.
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30+ provinces face disruptions in banking, aviation, and commerce.
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Families abroad fear losing their only connection to relatives.
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Aid groups demand restoration of internet services for relief operations.
