Afghanistan faced a second day without internet and mobile phone service on Tuesday after Taliban authorities cut the fibre-optic network. The government began shutting down high-speed internet connections to some provinces earlier in the month to prevent vice, on the orders of the supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada. On Monday night, mobile phone signal and internet service gradually weakened nationwide until connectivity was less than 1% of the ordinary levels, according to the internet watchdog NetBlocks.
Indian police arrested activist Sonam Wangchuk on Friday following the deadly protests in Ladakh earlier in the week, which left at least four people dead. Mobile internet services have also been suspended in the city of Leh. It comes just a day after authorities enforced a curfew on that district of Ladakh and Kargil, as well as restricting public gatherings to groups of five. New Delhi had blamed Wangchuk for the protests in the Himalayan region, where people were calling for statehood.
At 7pm, the scheduled start time, her laptop screen stayed black. The family's wifi, like the wireless internet across her neighbourhood, had gone and with it, her only chance to continue her education. These online classes were my only source of hope, says Marjaneh, speaking from Afghanistan through a crackling phone connection. I thought, when they [Taliban] closed schools at least they wouldn't cut the internet, but now that has been taken away too.
There are reports of severe disruption in other parts of the country, including the northern provinces of Kunduz, Badakhshan, Baghlan and Takhar. The Taliban leadership has not provided an official explanation, however a spokesperson for the governor of Balkh stated that the decision was taken to "prevent immorality." But many experts suspect the Islamic fundamentalist group wants to block critical content and preempt potential protests.
