KABUL — Just before nightfall on Wednesday, the near-deserted streets of Afghanistan’s capital Kabul suddenly filled with people — mobile phones everywhere had pinged back to life.

With phones pressed to their ears or tightly gripped in their hands, Afghans poured onto the streets to check if others were also online.

“Congratulations, the internet is back!” a shopkeeper shouted, as drivers honked in response.

Children were handed balloons, parents bought sweets and friends gathered in restaurants — all while chatting animatedly on their phones.

For 48 hours, Afghans had been offline — cut off from mobile and internet services — in a telecommunications shutdown imposed by authorities without warning.

“It felt we had gone back centuries. We were thinking of sending letters just to get u

See Full Page