Kabul: Afghans have poured into the streets of Kabul to celebrate the restoration of internet and telecom services, after a 48-hour shutdown by the Taliban government drew widespread criticism at home and abroad.
Local reporters confirmed that communications were gradually resuming, while the global internet monitoring service NetBlocks reported a ‘partial restoration’ of connectivity. Media sources conveyed that the order to restore services came directly from the Taliban prime minister.
The internet blackout disrupted businesses, grounded flights, and restricted access to emergency services. It raised fears of further isolating Afghan women and girls, whose rights have been severely curtailed since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
Jubilant scenes in Kabul
Hundreds of residents in the capital gathered to share the news that the internet was back. Delivery driver Sohrab Ahmadi compared the atmosphere to a religious holiday, stating that, “It’s like Eid al-Adha; it’s like preparing to go for prayer. We are very happy from the bottom of our hearts.”
Mah, a 24-year-old Afghan woman now studying in the UK, said she cried when she was finally able to hear her mother’s voice. Mah stated that, “At least I can hear her voice. You don’t know what’s going to happen next in Afghanistan because nothing’s under control.”
No official explanation
The Taliban government has not issued an official explanation for the nationwide shutdown. However, last month, a spokesperson for the Taliban governor in Balkh province claimed internet access was being restricted for the prevention of vices.
During the blackout, Kabul’s usually bustling city centre fell silent. Banks and shopping centres closed, international money transfers stopped, and flights were cancelled. The United Nations warned the blackout risked worsening one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises by ‘inflicting significant harm on the Afghan people.’
Since regaining control of Afghanistan, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions under their interpretation of Islamic Sharia law, including banning girls over 12 from school, limiting women’s employment, and removing women-authored books from universities.
For many Afghans, internet access remains a vital link to the outside world, and its return offered a rare moment of relief in a nation grappling with uncertainty.
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