Kabul: Afghanistan has been nearly cut-off from the communication grid after the Taliban ordered a nationwide shutdown of the internet in the country on Monday. Emergency services are likely to be affected in a country that is prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes.

According to Netblocks, a global internet watchdog, connectivity collapsed to less than one per cent of normal levels on Monday. This amounts to “a comprehensive, or total blackout”, it was said. ADVERTISEMENT

Earlier this month, the Taliban began cutting fibre optic connections in several provinces, severely limiting high-speed internet. On September 16, Balkh provincial spokesman Attaullah Zaid had announced a complete ban on fibre optic services in the north, saying it was ordered “to prevent vice.”

“This measure

See Full Page