"The Taliban has stopped fiber-optic internet services in a northern Afghanistan province, an official said Tuesday, leaving tens of thousands of Afghans without internet access and making it more difficult to communicate, attend online classes, and receive or send news. WiFi in Afghanistan's Balkh province was blocked "for the prevention of vices," Attaullah Zaid, a spokesperson for the Taliban governor in Balkh, said in a statement posted on X."
"An internet shutdown could pose major challenges for ongoing efforts to provide education to Afghan women and girls. For many Afghan women, the internet has been an escape amid increasingly draconian restrictions following the Taliban's return to power in Kabul in 2021. The Taliban have banned women from education above sixth grade and have placed restrictions on their freedom of movement, among many other rules."
Taliban authorities cut fiber-optic internet and blocked WiFi in Balkh province, citing "prevention of vices," leaving tens of thousands without cable-based internet. Mobile internet appeared largely unaffected, though mobile access is inconsistent in some areas. Connectivity problems were also reported in Kandahar province. Local government workers said the ban came as a surprise and expressed concern about possible extensions to other provinces. The shutdown threatens online education and resources that many Afghan women used after the 2021 restrictions, including virtual classes, e-books, language learning, and efforts to gain financial independence through digital means.
Read at The Washington Post
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