Internet Connectivity Chaos in Afghanistan: Conflicting Reports and Outages
Afghanistan faced internet connectivity issues after an outage began on Monday. Conflicting reports emerged about a Taliban statement denying deliberate blackouts, citing cable replacements. Genuine messages appeared later, confirming gradual service restoration. The internet outage impacted banking, commerce, aviation, and humanitarian work, raising concerns over communication reliability.
- Country:
- Pakistan
Confusion prevails over Afghanistan's internet connectivity status after restored networks appeared following Monday's outage. Initially, a purported Taliban statement denied a deliberate blackout, citing worn-out cables. However, this statement soon proved false, originating from a misleading source resembling an official media group.
Despite obstacles in confirming details due to the outage, the Taliban's official WhatsApp group later issued a statement, verified by The Associated Press, announcing gradual service restoration. Netblocks reported partial connectivity restoration amid public outcry and ongoing telco rule enforcement by the Taliban.
The blackout severely affected banking, commerce, and aviation sectors. Organizations like Save the Children emphasized the vital role of reliable communication in delivering humanitarian aid effectively. The UN highlighted the risks to Afghan people's freedom of expression and economic stability, as Taliban authorities reversed cuts without clear explanation.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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