Taliban Leader Reportedly Angered By Baradar’s ‘Unauthorized’ Meet With US Envoy

According to the sources, about a year ago in Kandahar, Akhundzada asked the Taliban’s council of clerics to find a “religious justification” for banning smartphones. The aim, they said, was to prevent criticism of the Taliban, halt negative publicity and silence voices the group described as “corrupt.”

A source in Kandahar said the clerics responded that banning smartphones was impossible because millions of dollars had been invested in the sector. They argued the move would cause severe disruption to daily life, commerce and education.

After the council’s refusal, the Taliban began efforts to filter the internet, observers said. But experts note such measures exceed the group’s technical and financial capacity, requiring advanced infrastructure, specialist engineers and significant resources.

About a month ago, a decision was made in Kandahar to cut fibre optic services first, followed by strict limits on mobile internet. The move aimed to prevent people from expressing views freely through global networks and social media, the sources said.

Several Taliban ministers reportedly travelled to Kandahar to warn Akhundzada about the damaging social and economic consequences of an internet shutdown, but he rejected their appeals and insisted on carrying out the plan.

One source said the Taliban leader has now ordered the formation of a new company to provide internet services to government institutions and diplomatic missions. Analysts believe this would both help the Taliban restrict public access to information and create economic benefits for figures close to the leadership.

Experts warn the move will have far-reaching effects, severely impacting daily life. They say it will not only restrict freedom of expression but also harm education, trade, healthcare and Afghanistan’s overall connection with the outside world.

The ministry said in a statement Wednesday that Taliban commerce minister Nooruddin Azizi met in Kabul with Mohammad Atabak, Iran’s minister of industry, mining and trade, and his delegation to discuss expanding trade ties and easing transit.

According to the statement, the two sides discussed signing trade and investment agreements, addressing customs and non-tariff barriers, and lifting restrictions at border crossings. They also highlighted the need to resolve transit challenges for Afghan goods at the Milak, Dogharoon, Chabahar and Bandar Abbas crossings.
Taliban officials asked for regular meetings of the joint economic committee, the reactivation of the joint commission, and solutions to banking problems affecting cross-border trade.

Atabak, leading the Iranian delegation, has so far met with several Taliban officials. The visit was described as focused on expanding bilateral trade, improving transit facilities and strengthening joint investment projects.

Although Tehran does not formally recognise the Taliban administration, Iran is its largest trading partner. Current trade between the two countries exceeds $3 billion annually, according to Mohammadreza Modoudi, head of the Dogharoon Free Trade and Industrial Zone.

Ministry spokesperson Saif al-Islam Khyber told Taliban-run media on Wednesday that most of those detained were from Herat and Faryab provinces. He said officials in Kabul, Maidan Wardak, Zabul, Badakhshan, Kunduz, Takhar and Helmand provinces were also carrying out similar operations.

In a statement, the ministry said 770 people with psychological disorders were collected from Faryab province alone, while about 200 were gathered in Herat. The ministry said the campaign was launched under orders from Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, who has instructed authorities in all 34 provinces to collect mentally ill people.

The Taliban-controlled Red Crescent has not explained how the individuals will be treated or where they will be housed.

Mental health experts warn that people with psychiatric conditions need specialised care, which Afghanistan’s public health system is unable to provide. The World Health Organization estimates that one in five Afghans suffers from a mental health disorder, a figure that experts say has risen since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan due to poverty and unemployment.

Talks between a Taliban delegation from Kabul and the leadership in Kandahar ended without results, the sources said, adding that Akhundzada has so far refused to discuss the shutdown.

According to the sources, Akhundzada ordered the creation of a new company to provide internet access for government offices and diplomatic missions. The Taliban may also allow Salam, a state-owned operator, to distribute limited services.

An executive at a private internet company said only a small number of WhatsApp accounts with special Taliban-issued permits will be allowed to connect, under strict surveillance.

The Taliban has already cut fibre optic services in Balkh, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Helmand and Nimroz provinces, while disruptions have been reported in Baghlan, Ghazni, Parwan and Herat provinces.

Failed Talks

Meetings between telecom operators and Taliban officials in Kabul, the ATRA regulator and Kandahar have yielded no progress. During one session at the Taliban-run Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, officials said mobile data speeds would be reduced to 2G.

“The order from the Taliban leader is irreversible and will be enforced nationwide,” one informed source said.

Banking Disruptions

Afghanistan’s banking sector has been among the first hit. Sources said banking services in Mazar-i-Sharif faced severe interruptions this week, prompting Taliban governor Yousuf Wafa to order exemptions for banks, the national ID office and a handful of other institutions. Internet access for banks in the city was restored by midday.

The Taliban ministries of finance and economy, along with the central bank, had previously opposed the order. Days earlier, a delegation led by the Ministry of Economy and joined by senior officials from finance, the central bank and other ministries travelled to Kandahar to warn Akhundzada of the risks.

The delegation, which included Mines Minister Hedayatullah Badri, Deputy Interior Minister Ibrahim Sadr and the Taliban-appointed central bank chief, stressed that government institutions depend on online systems and that cutting high-speed internet would cripple operations.

Impact on Education

The restrictions have also disrupted online schooling. Thousands of students and teachers have been unable to join classes.

A female student told Afghanistan International the shutdown had “closed the gates of online schools to girls,” depriving many of their last opportunity for education after the Taliban banned girls from secondary schools and universities.

Banks in Mazar-i-Sharif city the capital of Balkh province faced serious interruptions on Tuesday, prompting Taliban governor Yousuf Wafa to order exemptions for banks, the national ID office and several other institutions. Internet access for banks in the city was restored by midday, according to sources.

The Taliban suspended internet services in five provinces on Monday including Kandahar, Uruzgan, Helmand, Nimroz and Balkh as part of an order issued by the group’s leader, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada. The shutdown initially included households and government offices.

Days earlier, a delegation from the Taliban Ministry of Economy, joined by officials from the Finance Ministry and the central bank, travelled to Kandahar to warn Akhundzada that the restrictions would cripple institutions that rely on online systems.

Talks between telecom companies and Taliban officials have failed to produce a solution. At a meeting with private firms, the Taliban-run Ministry of Communications and Information Technology said mobile internet speeds would also be throttled to 2G. Officials stressed the order from Akhundzada was final and would be enforced nationwide.
The ministry said organisations seeking Wi-Fi access must file a formal request, which would be reviewed by the Taliban’s intelligence agency before a permit is issued.

NetBlocks, an internet watchdog, confirmed disruptions across Afghanistan. Wi-Fi services had been widely used in homes, offices and businesses before the shutdown.

The restrictions come as Taliban officials continue to court foreign investors, claiming the country is more open for business than at any time in recent history. Critics say cutting internet access undermines those claims and threatens Afghanistan’s fragile economy.

During two decades of international engagement, Afghanistan saw rapid growth in telecommunications, with several major providers offering internet services nationwide.