Fahima Noori had big dreams when she graduated from university in Afghanistan. She had studied law, graduated from a midwifery programme, and even worked in a mental health clinic. But all that was taken away when the Taliban swept into power in 2021. They banned girls over the age of 12 from getting an education, severely restricted job options for women, and recently removed books written by women from universities.
For Fahima, the internet was her last lifeline to the outside world. I recently enrolled in an online university [and] I had hoped to finish my studies and find an online job, she said. On Tuesday, that lifeline was cut off when the Taliban imposed a nationwide internet shutdown that is set to last indefinitely. Our last hope was online learning. Now [even] that dream has been destroyed, said Fahima.
Over the past few weeks, the Taliban government began severing fibre-optic internet connections across several provinces. This action was said to be part of an effort to prevent immorality. For many, they feared this might be the first step towards an entire internet shutdown. And on Tuesday, their worst fears came true. The country is currently experiencing a total internet blackout according to internet watchdog Netblocks - a move that has paralyzed the country's essential services.
International news agencies report having lost contact with offices in Kabul. Mobile internet and satellite TV have also been severely disrupted. Flights from Kabul airport have faced interruptions, according to local media.
Shakiba, who lives in the northern province of Takhar, recalled, Before this, I studied midwifery, but unfortunately that programme was banned for women... the only hope left for us was the internet and online learning. We want to study. We want to be educated. We want to be able to help people in our future. When I heard that the internet had been cut, the world felt dark to me.
Women like Fahima expressed feeling helpless due to the shutdown. She said that she and her sisters used to stay updated on news and technology, but now they cannot keep up or learn new skills. We dreamed of finishing our education and helping our father financially, but now... we all sit at home doing nothing.
The impact of the shutdown has also hit teachers. Zabi, an educator who shifted his English classes to online formats, says he had students preparing for standardized tests, only to see their opportunities vanish as the internet was cut. Two days ago, about 45 of my students were in the middle of an exam when the internet was cut off. They had been preparing for it for months, he lamented.
Interviewees have mentioned that mobile data is still an option, but it is too expensive and connectivity is patchy. The monthly mobile data plan costs about 3,500 Afghani, approximately $50, compared to around 1,000 Afghani for Wi-Fi before the shutdown. With Afghanistan’s per capita income at just $306 in 2024, many find this cost prohibitive.
Zabi expressed a dire need for internet restoration, stating he would have to leave the country otherwise, as he has no means to earn a living without access. Anas, a money changer, expressed similar concerns, stating that his daughters’ educational prospects have been jeopardized as well. The Taliban has yet to provide an official reason for the shutdown. Previously, they had mentioned creating an alternative internet access route but did not elaborate further.
