The Taliban’s decision to cut fiber-optic internet, which has now extended to 16 provinces, is threatening to wipe out hundreds of millions of dollars in investment, eliminate jobs and disrupt daily life across the country, according to sources.
Two sources from the state-run Afghan Telecom told Amu that nearly $285 million was invested in fiber services over the past two decades by the former government and private companies. That project connected 97% of Afghanistan to high-speed internet, with the exception of mountainous areas that still relied on satellite links.
Now, the sources say, that progress is in jeopardy. The Taliban order has left at least 350,000 people who work directly or indirectly in the sector facing uncertainty. The shutdown has also derailed plans to expand competition: some 30 private firms had been preparing to connect to the network to lower costs and improve services.
“This order risks wasting years of investment and destroying hundreds of thousands of jobs,” one official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk publicly.
Sources say the decision has already paralyzed essential services. Local sources reported that airlines, customs and passport departments, banks, universities and educational centers have all faced disruptions since the cuts began. Families also said they are unable to reach relatives abroad.
Human rights activist Ezatullah Bakhshi said the shutdown amounts to cutting off Afghans from the modern world. “The internet is a basic right and essential for education, trade, health services and family connections,” he said. “With this action, thousands of families are cut off from their loved ones abroad, and society is pushed into isolation and backwardness.”
Girls who had turned to online learning after the Taliban barred them from classrooms also say their only remaining lifeline to education is slipping away. “This has made an already difficult situation worse,” one student said.
The Taliban have not issued an official nationwide explanation. Local spokesmen in some provinces have said the decision was taken to curb what they called “immorality” online.
The cuts have been rolled out in recent weeks and now cover half the country, including major provinces such as Kandahar, Helmand, Nangarhar, Balkh, Kunduz and Herat.
Analysts say the decision could deepen Afghanistan’s digital isolation, further damage its struggling economy and drive more Afghans out of work at a time when humanitarian needs are already severe.
