Internet and telecommunications services in Afghanistan are gradually being reinstated following a nationwide blackout imposed by the Taliban government, which sparked widespread criticism. Local journalists reported that connectivity is being restored across various provinces, while Netblocks, an internet monitoring organization, confirmed a ‘partial restoration’ of network services based on live data. The 48-hour shutdown severely disrupted businesses, halted flights, restricted access to emergency services, and heightened concerns about the further marginalization of women and girls, whose rights have been significantly curtailed since the Taliban regained power in 2021. The Taliban has yet to provide an official explanation for the blackout. However, last month, a spokesperson for the Taliban governor in Balkh province cited the shutdown as a measure ‘for the prevention of vices.’ Since their return to power, the Taliban has enforced numerous restrictions aligned with their interpretation of Islamic Sharia law. Afghan women have described the internet as a crucial link to the outside world, especially after the Taliban banned girls over the age of 12 from receiving an education. Women’s employment opportunities have also been drastically limited, and in September, books authored by women were removed from university curricula. The United Nations condemned the shutdown, warning that it left Afghanistan nearly entirely isolated from the global community and risked ‘inflicting significant harm on the Afghan people, including by threatening economic stability and exacerbating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.’