KANDAHAR/HELMAND, Afghanistan – Internet connectivity for families across southern Afghanistan has been effectively severed, with reliable Wi-Fi and fiber-optic services cut off for the vast majority of households, leaving only key institutions connected and plunging daily life and the local economy into a state of digital paralysis.
According to numerous residents in the strategic provinces of Kandahar and Helmand, widespread disruptions began earlier this week, culminating in a near-total blackout for private citizens. The Taliban-led government has not issued any public explanation, but local authorities have informally suggested to telecommunications companies that the move is a “security measure.”
“The internet is like a flickering candle now—it goes off and comes back every few hours, but it’s useless,” said Ahmad, a shopkeeper from Lashkar Gah, Helmand, who requested a pseudonym for fear of reprisals. “We can barely send a text message on WhatsApp, let alone check prices for goods or run a business. It feels like we are being pushed back into the dark ages.”
This latest crackdown is part of a broader pattern of escalating digital censorship under the Taliban regime. Last month, a two-day nationwide internet blackout halted all mobile and communication networks, raising alarm among digital rights groups. The current restrictions in the south, however, appear more targeted and sustained, effectively creating a digital curtain around the region.
A Strangled Economy and Stifled Voices
The impact extends far beyond mere inconvenience. The southern provinces are critical agricultural and economic hubs. The shutdown has crippled entrepreneurs, disrupted supply chains, and halted online banking and money transfer services that many families rely on for remittances from abroad.
“My entire business operates on online orders and payments,” said Mariam, a female entrepreneur in Kandahar who sells embroidered textiles. “With no internet, my income has stopped overnight. This isn’t just a disruption; it’s a punishment for anyone trying to be self-sufficient.”
The restrictions also severely curtail freedom of expression and access to information. Afghan journalists, already operating under severe constraints, find their work nearly impossible.
“How can we report on what is happening when we are cut off from our sources, from communication, and from the world?” asked a local journalist in Kandahar. “This is a deliberate strategy to silence dissent and control the narrative. The outside world is slowly disappearing from view here.”
Expert Analysis: A Tool for Control and Suppression
Digital rights advocates and regional analysts see the shutdowns as a calculated move by the Taliban to consolidate control.
“The increasing frequency of these network disruptions points to a regime deeply concerned about internal dissent and the free flow of information,” said Arian Farzam, a researcher with the Digital Rights Watch coalition. “By targeting the internet, they are not only suppressing criticism but also preventing mobilization and isolating the population from global scrutiny. It is a blunt instrument of authoritarian control.”
International watchdogs have repeatedly condemned the tactic. “Internet shutdowns violate fundamental human rights, including the right to freedom of expression and access to information,” a spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office stated. “We urge the de facto authorities to restore full access immediately.”
A Deepening Humanitarian and Educational Crisis
For students, the blackout means a halt to education. With many universities shifting to online platforms, particularly for female students whose access to education has been drastically limited, the internet was a lifeline.
“My sisters were taking online courses offered by foreign institutions. That was their only hope for learning,” said a university student in Helmand. “Now, even that small window to the world has been slammed shut.”
The cumulative effect of these shutdowns is a population grappling with profound isolation and a sense of being deliberately cut adrift. For ordinary Afghans in the south, the severed internet cables are a stark physical manifestation of the Taliban’s restrictive rule, underscoring a daily reality where life remains tightly monitored, communication is a luxury, and the future looks increasingly disconnected.
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