Taliban announces internet ban in northern Afghanistan 'to prevent immoral activities'

The Taliban administration on Wednesday announced an internet ban across a swath of northern Afghanistan “to prevent immoral activities,” officials said.

KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban administration on Wednesday announced an internet ban across a swath of northern Afghanistan “to prevent immoral activities,” provincial government statements said.

The hardline Islamist movement has previously voiced concern over pornography and flirtation between men and women online.

It is the first such internet ban since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021, though it has announced other measures including stopping girls going to high school and women working in many different fields.

The ban will cover five provinces — Kunduz, Badakhshan, Baghlan, Takhar and Balkh — in the north of the country, which encompasses the population centers of the region.

The restriction is limited to all internet connections via fiber optic cable, officials said. Internet access on cell phone data, however, will be available, they said.