From looms to laptops, women lose lifeline in Afghanistan Internet ban

Businesses, schools and homes left reliant on costly mobile data; women-led workshops making traditional dresses lose orders

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In a dim home used as a small business in Afghanistan, women bent over bright cloth use needles to form intricate embroidery.

But their fibre-optic network in Kandahar — their primary link to buyers - has now gone dark.

Local government officials confirmed a ban on fibre-optic services in five northern provinces - Balkh, Kunduz, Badakhshan, Takhar and Baghlan. Officials said the ban is to prevent "immoral activities." Residents in other provinces, including Kandahar, Herat and Parwan have reported disruptions, though these have not been formally acknowledged by authorities.

The loss of access to the fibre-optic network has stranded thousands of homes, businesses and schools and left them reliant on costly, patchy mobile phone connections.

The measure is the first large-scale Internet shutdown since the militant group seized power in 2021, though it is not nationwide.