Overview

• Local officials confirmed a fibre‑optic ban in Balkh, Kunduz, Badakhshan, Takhar and Baghlan, the first large-scale internet shutdown since 2021 though not nationwide.
• Residents reported additional disruptions in Kandahar, Herat and Parwan as many users fall back on slower, pricier mobile data.
• A Balkh government spokesman said the directive came from Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada to stop “immoral activities.”
• Women-led businesses and students reliant on broadband report severe losses, including tripled data costs for artisans and halted online classes for girls in affected areas.
• Afghan activists and diaspora groups are pushing workarounds, seeking humanitarian access to Starlink and planning VPN and mesh-network pilots for vetted schools and NGOs.