UN report examines effects of nationwide connectivity loss in Afghanistan
The blackout – carried out without public explanation – cut off internet and phone services across the country, disrupting everyday communication, public services, humanitarian operations, and critical access to healthcare.
A nationwide telecommunications shutdown in Afghanistan at the end of September 2025 disrupted digital and mobile services for 48 hours, affecting service delivery, economic activity, and the flow of humanitarian assistance. A briefing by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documented how hospitals, financial systems, and relief operations experienced delays, with residents unable to make calls or access online services during the outage.
UNAMA’s findings are based on 111 interviews across 32 provinces. Respondents included health-care staff, private-sector workers, humanitarian personnel, media professionals, educators, and residents. The briefing notes disruptions to emergency medical coordination, including delays in obtaining medical supplies and transporting patients. Interviewees described difficulties contacting hospitals and emergency services, with several accounts indicating that preventable medical complications and deaths occurred during the blackout period.
The shutdown also affected banking systems and digital financial transfers, including remittances that many households rely on. Businesses reported an inability to process transactions or coordinate logistics, while humanitarian agencies described delays in cash distribution programs and the movement of returnees at border points. UNAMA notes that biometric and electronic systems used in registration processes temporarily failed, requiring manual workarounds.
Education and media functions were also interrupted. Online learning platforms, used particularly by women and girls barred from in-person education, were suspended during the outage. Media outlets relying on digital connectivity reported difficulty verifying information, communicating with staff, and broadcasting in real time.
Throughout the period, uncertainty persisted regarding the cause and duration of the blackout. As cited in international media, statements by officials were limited and sometimes contradictory, with no formal explanation issued at the time services were restored.
Civil-society context
Civil-society organisations and digital-rights monitors documented the shutdown period as well, releasing public notes and situational updates. Groups such as Access Now reported operational challenges related to service outages, including interruptions to information-sharing and media coordination. International outlets, including The Guardian and TIME Magazine, referenced commentary from civil society representatives describing difficulties in obtaining reliable information and maintaining communication with reporters and community contacts during the blackout.
Several organisations tracking global connectivity patterns, including NetBlocks, verified the disruption during the reported period, noting the scale and nationwide scope.
These statements and assessments provide external corroboration of the timing and extent of the outage described in the UN report, while placing the incident within a broader pattern of connectivity interruptions documented since 2021.
