A group called the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in the 1990s. It made strict rules and took away many rights, especially for women. In 2001, forces led by the United States invaded Afghanistan, and the Taliban lost power. But when U.S. troops left the country in 2021, the Taliban rose again.
People worried that this would mean a return to strict rules and limited rights. Some of those worries came true. Taliban leaders have worked to keep people from speaking out against them and to stop reporters from doing their jobs. The Taliban said girls could not go to school beyond sixth grade. The group banned women from parks, gyms, and most jobs.
This week, the country lost access to the Internet, and people worried that the Taliban was responsible.
The Taliban began to disconnect Internet in some areas earlier in September 2025. Then on September 29, blackouts began across the whole country, including the capital, Kabul. Telephone services were impacted too.
This move cut off the Afghan people from the rest of the world. Afghanis in other countries couldn’t contact their families. Several news organizations — including The Associated Press, AFP, and Al Jazeera — reported that they couldn’t reach their workers and sources in Afghanistan. Flights and businesses were impacted as well.
The Taliban said the earlier disconnects were made to block harmful content on the Internet. But at first, no reason was given for the nationwide blackout. People around the world spoke out against it, and on October 1, the Internet returned. The Taliban said it wasn’t banning Internet. It blamed the blackout on old cables.
Human rights groups shared concerns about the blackout. One was Amnesty International. Smriti Singh is the group’s regional director for South Asia. “Communication and access to information are tools for protection of human rights,” she said. She added that by controlling “the flow of information,” Taliban leaders “are making sure the world doesn’t get to know about the ongoing violations inside the country.”
Singh called the blackout “a move.” She said it would impact “delivery of aid, access to healthcare, and other essential services.” This may be especially important right now. A 6.0-magnitude earthquake shook the nation’s mountainous Kunar Province on August 31. At least 2,000 people died, and the Taliban asked for help. The country is still recovering.
Shutting down the Internet can also set women and girls back even further. Some turned to online learning after being kept out of schools. “This shutdown disrupts their ability to learn,” Singh said. It “cannot be under any circumstances.”
By Ashley Morgan
Updated October 1, 2025, 5:00 P.M. (ET)
