Islamabad: Afghanistan was hit by a sweeping internet blackout on Monday, with reports pointing to a nationwide suspension of fibre-optic services ordered as part of a Taliban campaign against immorality.

This marks the first shutdown of its kind since the Taliban seized power in August 2021.

Earlier in September, several provinces had already lost fibre-optic connections after Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada issued a decree banning the service to curb immorality.

On Monday, internet-access advocacy group Netblocks said its live metrics showed connectivity in Afghanistan had “collapsed” to 14 per cent of ordinary levels, leaving the country facing a near-total telecoms disruption.

“The incident is likely to severely limit the public's ability to contact the outside world,” the group warned.

The Associated Press reported it was unable to reach its Kabul bureau or correspondents in the provinces of Nangarhar and Helmand. The Taliban government, which relies on messaging apps and social media, has not issued any confirmation of the blackout.

Meanwhile, private broadcaster TOLO News quoted sources as saying that fibre-optic internet could be cut across the entire country beginning Monday. (AP)