On Monday afternoon of this week, Afghanistan once again made international headlines after a nationwide internet shutdown.
Internet access across the country was cut off at the orders of the Taliban supreme leader, with no explanation, plunging the people into total darkness.
Until just a few days ago, when someone asked me, “What is the one positive thing about Afghanistan today?” I had a clear and firm answer: that the internet had not been cut off.
At first glance, this may seem like a simple or even trivial response. But in reality, for a country living under the heavy shadow of censorship, violence, and unprecedented restrictions, this very connection to the digital world has been a small yet vital lifeline for the people of Afghanistan.
The restoration of internet access in Afghanistan brought a sense of relief and joy. At the same time, the shutdown had caused the entire country's system to grind to a halt. Flights to Kabul were suspended, and hospitals as well as government offices could barely function.
It's been two years since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan.
After the collapse of the country’s system and the Taliban’s return to power, internet access still provided a window to education, information, the outside world, and even mental well-being for many young Afghans.
But this time, after issuing dozens of restrictive decrees, the Taliban leader has targeted something that has plunged Afghanistan into an unprecedented state of heavy, deafening silence. A silence that is not merely the shutdown of a technology, but rather a sign of a wider collapse in communication and social connection.
Who has the shutdown affected?
Among the first and most important victims of the internet blackout are girls above the sixth grade, who, since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, had turned to online education. Digital learning was the only remaining path for millions of girls who had been banned from schools under the Taliban’s restrictive orders.
Over the past four years, many young Afghans relied on online courses, YouTube lessons, educational apps, and even international virtual classes, striving to keep learning alive despite political and social pressures.
The internet shutdown not only took away opportunities, but also robbed thousands of teenagers and young people of hope. Girls who, in silence and deprivation, had been learning at home through mobile phones or laptops are now trapped in a closed, dark space, with no teachers, no books, and not even a signal to connect. A young girl in Kabul sent me a message saying: “When we realised that the Taliban had blacked out the internet, I started crying, couldn’t sleep because of my online classes”
Afghanistan is a country with a young population, with over 60% of its population under the age of 25. These young people, raised in a connected world, had grown up with big dreams and hopes for a brighter future. But now, before their very eyes, that future is being shut down.
Access to social media, entertainment content, music, films, and communication with friends and relatives abroad has provided some balance to the mental well-being of youth. With the internet cut off, many of them are now struggling with depression, anxiety, and isolation.
The broader implications of the internet blackout
The internet blackout in Afghanistan does not only mean that people inside the country are cut off from the outside world, but it also means that the world can no longer hear Afghanistan’s voice.
Journalists, human rights activists, students, and even ordinary citizens are unable to share their stories with the outside. And this is exactly what the Taliban wants, complete silence and the suppression of the people in secrecy.
Without internet access, controlling information becomes much easier for the Taliban. The world will not know what is happening, human rights violations go unreported, and international accountability fades away. In one sentence, when the internet is cut, oversight over this country is cut as well.
Another major consequence of the shutdown is the spread of rumours and misinformation. When official or credible sources are blocked, the empty space is quickly filled with speculation, fear, fake news, and rumours.
In the past two days, one of the major rumours was that the United States is taking over the Bagram air base, and that this was the reason the Taliban cut off internet access.
In today’s Afghanistan, in the absence of media and the internet, rumours have replaced truth. People don’t know what has happened, why the internet is cut, how long it will last, or even what is unfolding across the country. This uncertainty fuels mistrust, fear, and social instability.
Another critical point is that today’s world stands on the threshold of a profound transformation in artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and the digital economy. Nations are competing for better access to these tools and for faster adaptation to new realities. But Afghanistan, while already deprived of the most basic foundations of development, has now even been stripped of internet connectivity.
Kept in the dark
This means that an entire generation of Afghans, who could have been part of the digital revolution, are being deliberately held back. The shutdown of the internet is not merely the suspension of a service, it is the severing of a connection with the future.
The Taliban views the internet as a threat to the survival of their rigid order. They fear the spread of images, calls for protests, liberal teachings, and individual freedoms. For this reason, over the past four years, the free flow of information has been severely restricted. Yet this very technology could have become a tool for development, education, women’s empowerment, and social progress, if only a different vision held power.
Zohre Esmaeli, 35, was just a child when she fled Afghanistan to seek refuge in Germany. But even she couldn't imagine how much her life was about to change.
In the digital age, no government can silence its people forever. But the cost of this imposed silence is borne by ordinary citizens, especially the younger generation.
Although Afghanistan has sunk into digital darkness today, this condition is not permanent. No regime can isolate its people from the world indefinitely. Despite all restrictions, the determination of the people, the power of technology, and international pressure will eventually open cracks of light.
What is vital in the meantime, however, is global awareness and attention to this forced silence. The world must understand that in an era of artificial intelligence and universal connectivity, an entire nation has been pushed into isolation and voicelessness. And it is our duty to be their voice, even if their internet is cut off.
We stand with the women of Afganistan.
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