Taliban Imposes Fiber-Optic Internet Ban Across Northern Afghanistan, Citing 'Immorality'

The Taliban has implemented a ban on fiber-optic internet services across five northern provinces of Afghanistan, a move ordered by Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada to combat what officials describe as "immoral activities." This unprecedented internet blackout, the first of its kind since the Taliban seized power in August 2021, has severely impacted thousands of homes, schools, and small businesses, particularly affecting women entrepreneurs.

The ban, which commenced around mid-September 2025, initially targeted Balkh province and has since expanded to include Kunduz, Badakhshan, Baghlan, and Takhar. While mobile data remains available, it is significantly slower, unstable, and up to three times more expensive than fiber-optic connections, rendering it an inadequate alternative for many. Haji Attaullah Zaid, a provincial government spokesperson, confirmed the measure was taken to prevent immorality, stating, "This measure was taken to prevent immorality, and an alternative will be built within the country for necessities."

The economic repercussions are immediate and severe. Women running businesses, such as embroidery shops and online sales in regions like Kandahar and Herat, are reporting a collapse in their orders. For entrepreneurs like Sabrinna Hayat, who leads a team of nine women sewing traditional dresses, the shutdown "doesn’t just kill business. It severs their connection to customers abroad – their only path to economic independence under Taliban rule," as stated in a social media post by Mario Nawfal.

Beyond commerce, the ban has critical implications for education and human rights. Women and girls, already barred from higher education by the Taliban, relied on fiber-optic internet for online learning, which was their only viable option for continued study. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged the Taliban to restore internet access, highlighting that such actions undermine the work of journalists and the public's right to information.

This restriction adds to a growing list of limitations imposed on Afghan women and girls, including strict morality provisions codified in August 2024. Observers note that the internet shutdown is a significant escalation of censorship, further isolating Afghan citizens and potentially expanding nationwide. Critics, including former US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, have called the ban "absurd," suggesting that content filtering could address morality concerns without a complete shutdown.