Widespread rumors of an internet ban in Afghanistan were denied by the Afghan Taliban leadership on Wednesday. They blamed the recent communications outage on the replacement of deteriorated fiber optic lines.
The clarification follows days of ambiguity that caused nationwide disruptions to banking, business, aviation, and humanitarian efforts.
Taliban refute claims of an internet shutdown.
The Taliban denied allegations of a deliberate closure in their first formal comment on the matter.
In a brief statement that was sent in a WhatsApp group with Pakistani journalists, officials stated, “There is nothing like the rumors being spread that we have imposed a ban on the internet.”
