Afghanistan Plunges into Digital Darkness: Taliban Intensifies Morality Crackdown with Sweeping Internet Blackout

A digital iron curtain is rapidly descending across Afghanistan, as the Taliban orchestrates a widespread internet blackout, plunging an already isolated nation deeper into silence. This drastic measure, particularly acute in critical regions like Kandahar, marks a severe escalation in their relentless 'morality crackdown,' effectively severing vital communication lines and stifling access to information for millions.

Since their return to power, the Taliban's grip on information has steadily tightened, but this latest move represents an unprecedented step towards total digital authoritarianism.

Citing the need to combat 'immoral content' and 'misuse of the internet,' the de facto authorities are systematically dismantling the digital infrastructure that remains a crucial lifeline for ordinary Afghans. The crackdown targets everything from what they deem 'indecent' online material to independent news sources and platforms for dissent, fundamentally eroding the basic human right to communicate and access information.

Eyewitness accounts and reports confirm the chilling reality: internet services are intermittently, or in some cases, completely, unavailable.

This isn't merely a technical glitch; it's a calculated strategy. The Taliban has previously demonstrated its intent by banning access to a staggering 14,000 websites, and aggressively restricting the use of VPNs – tools that many Afghans rely on to circumvent censorship and connect with the outside world.

Furthermore, their patrols now actively monitor and harass individuals suspected of accessing or sharing 'immoral' content, turning online activity into a perilous act.

The impact on the Afghan populace is profound and devastating. For many, the internet is not just a source of entertainment; it's a vital link to family abroad, a window to global news, a tool for education, and for some, a precarious means of earning a living.

In a country where women's rights have been systematically dismantled and public protests brutally suppressed, the internet offered a fleeting, fragile space for expression and solidarity. This blackout obliterates that space, isolating citizens further and making it nearly impossible to organize, inform, or even seek help.

This digital suppression comes on the heels of increasing social control, including severe restrictions on women's education and public life.

The internet blackout is a chilling extension of this broader strategy, designed to eliminate any vestige of resistance or independent thought. As Afghanistan retreats further into digital darkness, the international community watches with growing alarm, recognizing this as a critical moment in the ongoing erosion of human rights and freedoms under Taliban rule.