For a second consecutive day, Afghanistan has been gripped by a near-total communications blackout after authorities severed internet and mobile phone services across the country. The unprecedented nationwide shutdown has left millions of citizens disconnected from essential services and each other.
The telecommunications disruption began Monday evening when connectivity levels plummeted to less than one percent of normal capacity. By Tuesday, both internet access and telephone services remained largely inoperative nationwide. The communications collapse represents the most extensive digital shutdown implemented since the current administration assumed power.
“We’re operating in complete darkness without phones or internet,” reported a Kabul merchant who identified himself as Ahmad. “Our entire commercial system depends on mobile communications. Markets have essentially frozen, with most people remaining at home.”
While previous restrictions had targeted specific platforms or regional access, this marks the first instance of comprehensive nationwide disconnection. Officials have cited concerns about online content as justification for the measures, though the timing and scope have raised questions about additional motivations.
The economic and humanitarian consequences are expected to be severe. Banking operations, customs procedures, and commercial activities have been severely disrupted. International organizations have warned that the communications vacuum threatens to worsen what was already one of the world’s most dire humanitarian situations.
“The shutdown deprives millions of people of their livelihoods and basic rights to education, healthcare, and information,” noted a human rights researcher specializing in the region. “The economic damage could be irreversible.”
According to technical assessments, the blackout appears consistent with intentional disconnection of the national fiber-optic network. A government representative, speaking anonymously, confirmed that thousands of telecommunications access points had been deactivated indefinitely.
The communications infrastructure now being disabled was previously hailed as crucial for national development and economic growth. The extensive fiber-optic network, largely constructed during previous administrations, had been positioned as vital for connecting the country to global systems and alleviating poverty.
United Nations operations in the country have reportedly reverted to radio communications and limited satellite links, with humanitarian efforts significantly hampered by the digital isolation. The complete communications cutoff continues with no announced timeline for restoration.
