Afghans rejoice as internet returns after Taliban blackout

[Sanjeev]

Following their shutdown by the Taliban administration, which sparked international condemnation, Afghans have begun flocking to the streets to celebrate the return of telecom and internet services.

While internet authority Netblocks reported a "partial restoration" of access, local reporters reported that communications were starting up again. According to a government source who spoke to BBC Afghan, the Taliban prime leader ordered the internet to be restored.

Fears of further isolating women and children, whose rights have been severely undermined since the hardline Islamist group stormed back to power in 2021, were heightened by the 48-hour blackout, which affected flights and businesses and hindered access to emergency services.

 

[Starmix]

That 48 hours blackout was so overwhelming, it's not easy to live without electricity. And when there's power interruption, Internet outage follows. Life is lonely when there's no Internet connection.

 

[Fidelia]

I just can't imagine how those people were living without internet for such a long time. Can't imagine everything they missed not being part of the internet.

 

[Sanjeev]

That 48 hours blackout was so overwhelming, it's not easy to live without electricity. And when there's power interruption, Internet outage follows. Life is lonely when there's no Internet connection.

Absolutely, it's not easy to live without internet. People wonder how do they used to live in the past without it.

 

[Starmix]

Even one hour of having no internet it annoys me. Better if it wasn't introduced, we can find what we used to be without it like in the years ago. But this time, we need Internet more for our side business and other things that relaxed us.