Kabul, Afghanistan – On Sunday, September 15, 2025, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada ordered a complete ban on fibre optic internet services across multiple provinces, initially targeting Balkh and expanding to up to 13 others including Kandahar, Helmand, and Uruzgan, to prevent “immoral activities” such as access to unfiltered content; this marks the first such restriction since the group’s 2021 takeover, severely disrupting broadband for homes, businesses, and government offices while mobile data remains operational but unreliable.
The Afghanistan fiber optic ban 2025 threatens to exacerbate regional digital divides, potentially hindering cross-border trade, remittances, and information flows between Afghanistan and neighbours like Pakistan and India, where millions rely on stable connectivity for economic ties and humanitarian coordination.
Taliban-Imposed Afghanistan Fiber Optic Ban 2025 Disrupts Essential Services
The ban, enforced by severing fibre optic cables, has left broadband access unavailable in affected areas, forcing reliance on costlier mobile alternatives. Haji Attaullah Zaid, a spokesman for the Balkh provincial government, confirmed the measure on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, stating it was a direct order from Akhundzada to curb vice. By Wednesday, September 17, 2025, provincial statements extended the restrictions to Kunduz, Badakhshan, Baghlan, and Takhar, encompassing key northern population centres.
In Kandahar, services are now confined to “point-to-point” connections for banking and administrative needs only, as verified by Noorullah Nuri, head of the local Department of Telecommunications and Information Technology. This limitation underscores the ban’s targeted yet broad impact, affecting over 1,800 kilometres of existing fibre infrastructure developed since 2017, when Afghan Telecom invested approximately $370.7 million (USD 370.7 million) in such networks.
Experts highlight that the Afghanistan fiber optic ban 2025 could stall economic recovery in a nation already grappling with sanctions and isolation. Fibre optics, essential for high-speed data transfer, support commerce, e-governance, and international links; their disruption risks amplifying unemployment and supply chain issues in a country where 80% of business transactions occur online.
Taliban Fiber Optic Damage Report Reveals Limited Mitigation Efforts
As the Taliban fiber optic damage report emerges, the Islamic Emirate has formed a delegation to evaluate disruptions and propose safeguards, though progress remains stalled. Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s chief spokesman, acknowledged on Monday, September 22, 2025, that “so far, the delegation assigned to prevent damages from fiber optic disruptions has not achieved any results.” This admission points to challenges in assessing infrastructure vulnerabilities amid the rapid rollout of the ban.
The Taliban fiber optic damage report details cutoffs since Sunday, September 14, 2025, in at least 13 provinces, with unconfirmed extensions to Herat and Parwan. Local media and monitoring groups like NetBlocks have recorded sharp drops in connectivity, confirming the fibre severances. Janat Faheem Chakari, a telecommunications expert, noted that while fibre enables faster internet, “it is better to filter it due to security concerns,” aligning with the Taliban’s rationale but ignoring alternatives like content-specific blocks used in other Islamic nations.
Financial repercussions loom large: repairs for damaged segments could exceed $1 million (USD 1 million), based on prior estimates for similar infrastructure hits. Businesses, particularly small enterprises dependent on fibre for client outreach, face immediate losses; one Kandahar-based embroidery collective reported tripling mobile data costs to maintain overseas orders, per resident accounts.
Impacts on Vulnerable Groups Under the Afghanistan Fiber Optic Ban 2025
Women and girls, already barred from secondary education since 2021, bear a disproportionate burden from the Afghanistan fiber optic ban 2025. Online learning had emerged as a clandestine lifeline, with activists like Maria Noori reporting that “many girls in Afghanistan were secretly learning online. Now, the Taliban cut the internet, and I can no longer teach them.” This shutdown severs access to virtual classes, further entrenching gender-based exclusion.
Journalists and media outlets, reliant on stable broadband for reporting, decry the move as censorship escalation. Beh Lih Yi, regional director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, urged on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, that “the Taliban should end their cycle of repression and unconditionally restore internet access, which is an essential tool for news gathering.” International observers, including former US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, labelled the policy “absurd,” suggesting targeted filtering as a viable alternative.
Broader economic fallout includes strained banking and customs operations, with government agencies in affected provinces resorting to manual processes. Traders warn of halted imports from Pakistan and India, potentially inflating prices for essentials.
Background
Afghanistan’s telecom evolution has been turbulent. From a near-total internet blackout under the 1990s Taliban regime to post-2001 expansions via providers like Afghan Telecom and Etisalat, the sector invested heavily in fibre networks. By 2024, over 4,600 kilometres of the Afghan Fiber Optic Ring were operational, linking urban hubs. Yet, since the 2021 resurgence, restrictions have mounted—from social media curbs to this Afghanistan fiber optic ban 2025—reflecting a pattern of morality-driven controls.
What’s Next for the Taliban Fiber Optic Damage Report
As the Taliban fiber optic damage report unfolds, officials hint at nationwide enforcement, with promises of “alternatives for necessities.” However, without swift reversals, the ban risks deepening humanitarian crises, prompting calls from the UN and regional bodies for dialogue on digital rights.
The Afghanistan fiber optic ban 2025 signals a precarious future for connectivity, underscoring the need for balanced policies that safeguard infrastructure without isolating citizens.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, September 24th, 2025
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