The Taliban’s shutdown of fiber optic internet has brought customs operations in Nangarhar province and at the Torkham border crossing to a standstill, local sources said Saturday.
With administrative systems offline, dozens of trucks carrying goods have been stranded for days, causing major disruptions to trade, the sources said.
“Customs offices cannot process paperwork because the fiber optic system is down, and regular mobile internet is not sufficient. Our shipments are at risk of rotting,” said an investor, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
The disruption has left merchants facing heavy financial losses in recent days as perishable goods remain stuck at the border.
The Taliban cut fiber optic services in 15 provinces earlier this week. The outage has also affected banking, education, and other public services nationwide.
