Taliban Has Plunged Afghanistan Into Darkness, Zelensky Tells UN

The Taliban had cut fibre-optic internet in at least 12 provinces, including Balkh, saying the move was aimed at preventing “immoral behaviour.”

The blackout left millions without stable internet access and drew comparisons with countries such as North Korea and Turkmenistan, widely regarded as among the most restrictive in the world for connectivity.

Rights groups and residents said the shutdowns severely disrupted daily life, education, and business in Afghanistan, where internet access is already limited.

According to the sources, Akhundzada has been staying between three locations, Mandigak, the home of Abdul Raziq Achakzai in Aino Mina, and the former Kandahar Army Corps headquarters. His whereabouts in the past three days remain unknown.

They noted that Akhundzada’s residence had previously been well known, and he routinely met the Council of Ulema once a week. That meeting did not take place this week.

The developments come as US President Donald Trump has escalated his rhetoric against the Taliban in recent days. On 18 September, during a trip to the United Kingdom, Trump said the US was seeking to regain control of Bagram air base, citing its proximity to Chinese nuclear facilities.

On 21 September, Trump warned in a post on Truth Social that “bad things” would happen if the base was not handed back to Washington.

In response, the Taliban issued a statement reminding Washington that under the 2020 Doha Agreement, the US committed not to use force or threats against Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and political independence.

The newspaper said the Ministry of Education issued letters to NGOs this year ordering them not to engage in educational activities. The decision coincided with the start of the new academic year, preventing a number of Afghan children from attending classes.

Until last year, children were permitted to enrol with census cards, but officials have since revoked the cards’ validity, forcing many out of school. In July, Iran’s Office of Aliens and Foreign Immigrants Affairs declared the documents invalid, despite earlier assurances that Afghans with valid cards could remain in the country.

Several NGOs told Shargh they had received formal and informal directives not only banning them from teaching undocumented Afghan children, but also prohibiting Afghan teachers and volunteers from participating.

Rights advocates said many schools now reject Afghan children even with alternative documents, citing “lack of capacity” or closed registration systems. Activists warned the policy has excluded thousands of children from education, with one researcher estimating that in some areas 50 to 60 percent of school capacity remains unused.

Residents told Afghanistan International that fixed internet services were cut at around 10 p.m. Tuesday. A source at a Herat-based internet company said the Taliban issued the order without explanation and warned providers of penalties if they failed to comply.

One resident said the state-run Salam network’s Wi-Fi remained active. The Taliban have not commented on the blackout.

On Monday night, internet services were also suspended in Herat for 12 hours before being restored in the morning. The reason for the night-time cuts remains unclear.

The shutdown follows Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada’s directive to cut fibre-optic internet, first enforced in Balkh province and later extended to more than a dozen provinces. Unlike other areas, Herat residents still have access to slow DSL connections, though fibre services were cut on 27 September.

The disruptions have sparked widespread criticism, with residents warning that daily life and business have been severely affected.

In an interview with Al Arabiya, Mujahid urged the US to engage with Afghans through diplomatic and reational channels, adding that Afghans will not accept foreign forces on any part of Afghanistan.

Trump last week warned that “bad things will happen” if the Taliban do not hand the base back to the United States. Bagram, located 11 kilometres southeast of Charikar in Parwan province, was the largest American military base in Afghanistan until the US withdrawal in 2021, when it was seized by the Taliban.

The comments are the latest in a series of Taliban responses to Trump’s remarks. Taliban Deputy intelligence chief Tajmir Jawad threatened to resume suicide attacks if necessary to defend the group’s rule, while the Taliban’s army chief said Afghans had “fought well” against efforts to undermine the country’s independence.