The UN mission appeals to the Taliban to restore internet access across Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD AP The United Nations mission in Afghanistan urged the Taliban on Tuesday to restore internet and telecommunications access across the country saying the blackout imposed by the leadership in Kabul has left the nation almost entirely cut off from the outside world The outage informed the previous day was the first nationwide shutdown since the Taliban returned to power in August and was part of their professed crackdown on immorality Earlier this month several provinces lost their fiber-optic connections after Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada issued a decree banning the utility to prevent immorality The disruption threatened economic stability and deepened one of the world s worst humanitarian crises reported the U N Assistance Mission in Afghanistan It warned that the blackout is crippling banking and financial systems isolating women and girls limiting access to healthcare care and remittances and disrupting aviation The U N revealed such restrictions further undermine freedom of expression and the right to information It noted that telecommunications are also crucial during disasters Afghanistan has in the last few days suffered major earthquakes in the east and is struggling with mass forced returns from neighboring countries The U N mission announced the internet outage spread since it was first imposed by the Taliban on Sept and became nationwide on Sept The mission noted it would continue to press Afghanistan s de facto administration to restore access in promotion of the Afghan people Source