As of the beginning of October, five northern Provinces announced a total internet blackout of all internet in Afghanistan, the shut off lasted two days. The Taliban did this in order to try and stop “immorality”. This comes four years after the Taliban took control over the nation.
The following provinces of, Balkh, Kunduz, Badakhshan, Takhar and Baghlan had lost all internet, with the nation cut off citizens of Afghanistan were unable to speak to people outside of the nation, it had also affected banking systems, before the shutdown banks would process $50,000 a day in remittances and travel as they were unable to use airports for Humanitarian Aid, the ban had stopped learning and people running businesses.
A senior Taliban Leader in Kabul told NBC,” We don’t understand what’s happening in our country. Nobody is telling us as the majority of the people don’t have access to each other.” The blackout lasted 2 days, this isn’t the only time the Government has tried to ban or limit the citizens of their freedom for example, women not being allowed to attend school. With the Taliban in power they limited rights for women excluding them from schools and working certain jobs. According to Netblocks “Cost Of Shutdown Tool” the internet restriction can drain 0.5-1 percent of the country’s GDP, and with Afghanistan’s economy valued at $16 billion the country loses $22-$44 million each day the internet is blocked
