Internet services in Afghanistan came back online Wednesday, restoring vital communication and web connectivity for residents two days after the Taliban government blocked access nationally without any explanation. But even as connections were restored, Starlink, the satellite internet service from Elon Musk’s SpaceX, remains formally banned in Afghanistan.

According to the company’s website, Starlink is not available in the country, yet terminals are widely smuggled in from Pakistan and Iran and sold on the black market for as much as USD 2,000 each, CNN-News18 has learned.

Earlier Threats

Taliban officials had already signalled their intent to curb access. In September, the governor of Balkh province, Haji Zaid, announced that internet services would be cut to prevent what he called

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