The Taliban internet ban spreads across Afghanistan as more provinces are shut down

JALALABAD Afghanistan AP A Taliban crackdown to prevent immorality is spreading across Afghanistan with more provinces losing access to fiber-optic internet after the country s leader imposed a complete ban on the machinery It s the first time a ban of this kind has been imposed since the Taliban seized power in August and leaves leadership offices the private sector citizens institutions and homes without Wi-Fi internet Mobile internet remains functional however Authorities say alternatives are being located for necessities The northern Balkh province established a Wi-Fi shutdown on Tuesday with reports of severe disruption in other parts of the country On Thursday leaders in the east and north reported internet access was cut off in the provinces of Baghlan Badakhshan Kunduz Nangarhar and Takhar Siddiqullah Quraishi from the Nangarhar Way of life Directorate validated the shutdown to The Associated Press The governor s office in Kunduz shared a message in an official WhatsApp group The Afghanistan Media Patronage Organization condemned the ban and expressed its concern This action carried out on the orders of the Taliban s leader not only disrupts millions of citizens access to free information and essential services but also poses a grave threat to freedom of expression and the work of the media it noted Last year a spokesman for the Communications Ministry Enayatullah Alokozai explained the private TV channel TOLO News that Afghanistan had a fiber-optic organization of more than kilometers miles and that approval had been given for an additional kilometers miles Greater part Afghan provinces have had fiber-optic services until now Source