Internet Access Restored in Afghanistan After Taliban Shutdown

Mon Oct 20 2025 19:51:44 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

After a shocking two-day blackout, internet and telecom services are finally being restored in Afghanistan, raising hopes amid fears over women's rights and economic stability.

The Taliban had implemented a nationwide two-day internet blackout, leading to significant disruptions, especially for women who rely on online access for education and employment. Communications are slowly being restored, although the Taliban have yet to provide an official reason for the blackout. As the global community reacts, concerns grow about the impact on the Afghan population amidst ongoing humanitarian crises.

Internet and telecom services are being restored in Afghanistan after a nationwide shutdown by the Taliban government provoked widespread condemnation.

Local reporters reported that communications were resuming across provinces, while internet monitor Netblocks noted a partial restoration of connectivity.

The 48-hour blackout disrupted businesses and flights, limited access to emergency services, and raised fears about further isolating women and girls whose rights have severely eroded since the Taliban swept to power in 2021.

The Taliban have not given an official explanation for the shutdown.

However, last month, a spokesperson for the Taliban governor in the northern province of Balkh stated that internet access was being blocked for the prevention of vices.

Since coming to power, the Taliban have imposed numerous restrictions in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

Afghan women reported that the internet acts as a lifeline to the outside world, especially since girls over the age of 12 have been banned from education.

Women's job prospects have also been severely restricted, with books authored by women removed from universities in September.

Following the internet shutdown, the United Nations remarked that Afghanistan was nearly cut off from the world, risking significant harm to the Afghan people and further exacerbating one of the most severe humanitarian crises globally.