Taliban Imposes Fiber-Optic Internet Ban Across Northern Afghanistan, Severely Impacting Women-Led Businesses and Education

The Taliban has imposed a ban on fibre-optic internet services across several provinces in Afghanistan, including Balkh, Kanduz, Badakhshan, Takhar, Baghlan, Kandahar, Herat, and Parwan, citing the prevention of "immoral activities" as the rationale. This is the first major internet shutdown since the Taliban's 2021 takeover and has severely impacted homes, businesses, schools, and especially women-led enterprises like Hayat Handicrafts, which rely on the internet to reach customers. The ban has tripled internet costs for some and left many dependent on unreliable and expensive mobile data connections. Women's access to online education, previously a critical avenue due to restrictions on physical schooling, is now threatened, further limiting their rights and opportunities under the Taliban's tightening control. Residents and activists have voiced concerns about the adverse effects on work, education, and the broader social and economic progress of Afghanistan. The shutdown is widely viewed as a tool for control rather than a genuine effort to uphold morality, with significant implications for human rights and women's freedoms in the country.