Without explanation: Internet in Afghanistan available again after 48 hours
For almost exactly 48 hours, Afghanistan was completely cut off from the internet. Without explaining the far-reaching step, the Taliban ended it.
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After almost 48 hours, the Taliban ruling Afghanistan have lifted the total internet blockade in the country but have still not declared the shutdown. This is according to media reports and data from Cloudflare, Google, and monitoring centers. The BBC reports, citing a high-ranking source, that head of government Mohammed Hassan Achund has personally ended the internet blockade. The total blockade of the internet has disrupted the economy, halted air traffic, prevented access to medical aid, and fuelled new concerns about the safety of women and girls. The reasons for this remain unclear.
The radical Islamic Taliban, who have ruled Afghanistan again since 2021, had all internet connections cut on Monday evening local time. The move was preceded by interruptions to fiber optic connections in numerous provinces, which had already caused considerable disruption. Following the blockade of the internet, public life in the capital Kabul also largely collapsed; according to the isolated reports that leaked out, most people stayed at home. Some experts had expressed fears that the move could usher in far-reaching repressive measures, but so far there have been no reports to suggest this.
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The Afghan news portal Tolo News now reports of overjoyed people in Kabul who communicated with relatives or friends in the rest of the country as soon as their internet connections were restored. Several people on the streets of Kabul are quoted in a report. Without naming names, however, demands are also passed on that such a measure should not be repeated. The blockade had caused serious restrictions for the economy. One man also directly called for an improvement in the quality of internet connections. Mobile internet in particular is considered expensive and unreliable in the country. According to the Taliban and data from independent sources, the internet in the country has been fully restored and not just partially.
(mho)
