September 18, 2025 | 04:50 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Taliban bans access to internet services in five northern provinces of Afghanistan. According to an India Today report on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, the policy was implemented in Kunduz, Badakhshan, Baghlan, Takhar, and Balkh. This ban is the first since the group regained power in August 2021.
The provincial government stated, "All connections have been severed. This step is taken to prevent immoral activities." The policy has left government offices, public institutions, the private sector, and households in these five provinces without internet services. However, mobile data is still operational.
Reason for Preventing "Immorality"
A day earlier, on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, NDTV reported a statement by the spokesperson of the Balkh provincial government, Haji Attaullah Zaid. He mentioned that the top Taliban leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, ordered the total cessation of internet services in Balkh.
"This measure was taken to prevent immorality, and an alternative will be built within the country for necessities," Zaid said. He did not explain why Balkh was singled out for the ban or the possibility of its extension to other provinces.
According to The New Arab, a resident of Balkh started experiencing disruptions in internet connection at home a few days ago. When he contacted the service provider, they stated that it was just a technical issue that would be resolved soon.
"Blocking the internet is beyond my comprehension in such an advanced era," the resident said. He mentioned that he rarely uses mobile internet because it is slow and expensive. There are six people in his household, including a student, all of whom rely on Wi-Fi. Fast and stable connectivity is also crucial for his work, which demands communication with individuals and companies outside Afghanistan.
"If this ban continues, it will not only be detrimental to my business but also to others because all our business is done on the internet," he added.
Taliban's Internet Policy
Taliban has previously expressed concerns about online content, especially pornography and interaction between men and women. The ban on internet services is a follow-up to this stance.
Afghan authorities have also often suspended mobile phone networks for security reasons, especially during religious celebrations, to prevent remote bomb detonations triggered through phones. This ban, however, is different because it is based on morality, not security.
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