On Wednesday evening, hundreds of Kabul residents took to the streets to celebrate the return of internet access, nearly two days after the Taliban cut communications nationwide. The blackout had paralyzed banks, businesses, and airports, while depriving girls—barred from attending school—of access to online education platforms.
Service was restored 48 hours after the sudden suspension of mobile networks and the internet. On Monday evening, Afghanistan was plunged into isolation without explanation—businesses stalled and millions of people lost contact with the outside world.
The shutdown came weeks after authorities began restricting access to high-speed internet in several provinces, justifying the move as a fight against "immorality". According to sources, the order came directly from the movement’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada.
AFP journalists reported that by Wednesday mobile and wireless internet were once again functioning across the country—from Kandahar in the south and Khost in the east to Ghazni in the center and Herat in the west. Taliban officials have yet to comment on the reasons for the blackout.
By evening, Kabul took on a festive mood. "It feels like Eid al-Adha, as if you’re heading to prayer," said 26-year-old courier Sohrab Ahmadi. "We are happy from the bottom of our hearts."
Residents bought sweets and balloons, drivers honked and talked on their phones, savoring the return of connectivity. "The city has come alive again," noted restaurant manager Mohammad Tawab Farrukhi in an interview with AFP.