On Monday afternoon of this week, Afghanistan once again made international headlines after a nationwide internet shutdown.

Internet access across the country was cut off at the orders of the Taliban supreme leader, with no explanation, plunging the people into total darkness.

Until just a few days ago, when someone asked me, “What is the one positive thing about Afghanistan today?” I had a clear and firm answer: that the internet had not been cut off.

At first glance, this may seem like a simple or even trivial response. But in reality, for a country living under the heavy shadow of censorship, violence, and unprecedented restrictions, this very connection to the digital world has been a small yet vital lifeline for the people of Afghanistan.

The restoration of internet access in Afghanistan brought a sense of relief and joy. At the same time, the shutdown had caused the entire country’s system to grind to a halt. Flights to Kabul were suspended, and hospitals as well as government offices could barely function.

After the collapse of the country’s system and the Taliban’s return to power, internet access still provided a window to education, information, the outside world, and even mental well-being for many young Afghans.

But this time, after issuing dozens of restrictive decrees, the Taliban leader has targeted something that has plunged Afghanistan into an unprecedented state of heavy, deafening silence. A silence that is not merely the shutdown of a technology, but rather a sign of a wider collapse in communication and social connection.

Who has the shutdown affected?

Among the first and most important victims of the internet blackout are girls above the sixth grade, who, since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, had turned to online education. Digital learning was the only remaining path for millions of girls who had been banned from schools under the Taliban’s restrictive orders.

Over the past four years, many young Afghans relied on online courses, YouTube lessons, educational apps, and even international virtual classes, striving to keep learning alive despite political and social pressures.

The internet shutdown not only took away opportunities, but also robbed thousands of teenagers and young people of hope. Girls who, in silence and deprivation, had been learning at home through mobile phones or laptops are now trapped in a closed, dark space, with no teachers, no books, and not even a signal to connect. A young girl in Kabul sent me a message saying: “When we realised that the Taliban had blacked out the internet, I started crying, couldn’t sleep because of my online classes”

Afghanistan is a country with a young population, with over 60% of its population under the age of 25. These young people, raised in a connected world, had grown up with big dreams and hopes for a brighter future. But now, before their very eyes, that future is being shut down.

Access to social media, entertainment content, music, films, and communication with friends and relatives abroad has provided some balance to the mental well-being of youth. With the internet cut off, many of them are now struggling with depression, anxiety, and isolation.

The broader implications of the internet blackout

The internet blackout in Afghanistan does not only mean that people inside the country are cut off from the outside world, but it also means that the world can no longer hear Afghanistan’s voice.