ISLAMABAD (AP) — The United Nations mission in Afghanistan urged the Taliban on Tuesday to restore , saying the blackout imposed by the government in Kabul has left the nation almost entirely cut off from the outside world.
The outage, reported the previous day, was the first nationwide shutdown and was part of their professed . Earlier this month, several provinces lost their fiber-optic connections after Taliban leader issued a decree banning the service to prevent immorality.
The disruption threatened economic stability and deepened one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, said the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.
It warned that the blackout is crippling banking and financial systems, , limiting access to medical care and remittances, and disrupting aviation.
The U.N. said such restrictions further undermine freedom of expression and the right to information. It noted that telecommunications are also crucial during disasters — Afghanistan has recently suffered major earthquakes in the east and is struggling with mass forced returns from neighboring countries.
The U.N. mission said the since it was first imposed by the Taliban on Sept. 16 and became nationwide on Sept. 29. The mission said it would continue to press Afghanistan’s de facto authorities to restore access “in support of the Afghan people.”
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