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Afghanistan’s Internet Returns After Days-Long Blackout as Cause Remains Disputed

Taliban officials attribute the outage to aging fiber, with monitors plus the UN expressing skepticism.

Overview

  • Connectivity began returning after roughly 48–72 hours offline, with users reporting slow, unstable service and lingering restrictions.
  • Taliban spokesmen publicly rejected claims of an ordered nationwide ban, citing technical faults, while earlier reports to Reuters described directives tied to morality rules.
  • NetBlocks measured national traffic dropping to about 1% of normal during phased cuts, with the final stage affecting telephone services.
  • UNAMA called for full restoration, warning of harm to the economy and rights; authorities and residents said commercial flights and basic services were resuming.
  • The blackout halted online education relied on by many women and girls, disrupted banking and remittances, and forced operators such as Roshan and Etisalat to restore service gradually.