Internet reconnected in Afghanistan after two-day shutdown

Kabul: After a 48-hour shutdown, mobile networks and internet services have been restored across Afghanistan, sparking widespread relief and joy among citizens.

According to a report by international news agency AFP, a sudden blackout on Monday night had plunged the country into chaos. Business activities were paralyzed, and the Afghan population was effectively cut off from the rest of the world.

The nationwide blackout came as the Taliban government began cutting high-speed internet in certain provinces under orders from Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, citing the need to curb “immorality.”

AFP journalists reported on Wednesday that mobile phone signals and Wi-Fi services had resumed in several provinces, including Kandahar in the south, Khost in the east, Ghazni in central Afghanistan, and Herat in the west.

The Taliban government has yet to officially comment on the telecommunications shutdown.

On Wednesday night, as internet services were restored, hundreds of Afghans poured into the streets of Kabul in celebration. Sohrab Ahmadi, a 26-year-old delivery driver, likened the moment to a religious holiday. “It feels like Eid al-Adha, like preparing for prayers. We are deeply happy,” he said.

After days of tension, Afghans celebrated by buying sweets and balloons. Drivers honked horns while people, phones pressed to their ears, rejoiced in reconnecting with loved ones.

Restaurant manager Mohammad Tawab Farooqi told AFP, “The city has come alive again.”

This was the first time since the Taliban's return to power in 2021 that communication services were shut down across the country. The Taliban have enforced strict Islamic laws since taking control.

NetBlocks, a watchdog organization focused on cybersecurity and internet governance, described the blackout as “tantamount to a deliberate service disconnection.” According to the group, internet connectivity in Afghanistan had dropped to just 1% of normal levels.

A government official had warned AFP just minutes before the Monday night blackout that the fiber optic network would be cut, affecting mobile services.

The disruption brought much of the country to a standstill — businesses, airports, and markets were shut, and banks and post offices could not operate. Afghans were unable to contact one another within or outside the country, and many families stopped sending their children to school due to the uncertainty.

In Herat and Kandahar, some residents reportedly traveled to border towns near Iran and Pakistan just to access mobile signals.

The United Nations said on Tuesday that the shutdown had “almost completely cut Afghanistan off from the world” and urged authorities to restore access immediately.

Over the past few weeks, internet connectivity had already been significantly slowed or disrupted. On September 16, when the blackout first began in the northern provinces, Balkh province spokesperson Ataullah Zaid confirmed that the restrictions were ordered by the Taliban leader.

In a statement on social media, Zaid said the move was “taken to prevent evil,” and that alternative communication solutions would be implemented nationwide.

He also added, “Recent studies in Afghanistan have shown that internet applications have severely harmed the ongoing economic, cultural, and religious foundations of society.”