KABUL — Telecommunications services across parts of Kabul were disrupted early Sunday as people marked Ashura, the most sacred day of mourning during the Islamic month of Muharram, prompting concerns about potential restrictions on religious observances.
Residents in the capital reported that service from at least four major mobile networks went offline around 7:30 a.m. local time (5:00 CET) and had not been restored by late morning. While some Wi-Fi connections remained active, mobile data and voice service outages affected wide areas, according to three residents interviewed by Amu.
The cause of the outage remains unclear. Taliban have not publicly commented on the disruptions.
The timing of the blackout, coinciding with Ashura — which commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, a central figure in Shiite Islam — has fueled speculation of deliberate interference. In previous years, Taliban have imposed restrictions on Muharram ceremonies, including limiting processions and removing Shiite flags in provinces such as Herat and Balkh.
Large Ashura gatherings have historically been met with tight security measures, and in some cases, sectarian attacks. Rights groups and Shiite leaders have warned that interference with religious rituals threatens to deepen sectarian tensions in a country already grappling with political and humanitarian crises.
