Key Points

Flights to Afghanistan were suspended on Monday evening, stranding passengers at Dubai International Airport, after a nationwide internet blackout, leading Afghan news agency Khaama Press reported.

Pictures that surfaced on social media showed people waiting in crowded terminals, uncertain about when the flights would start operating again for Afghanistan. The disruption in flights resulted in widespread frustration and anxiety among passengers.

Afghans who live abroad could not contact their loved ones in Afghanistan after the internet shutdown, causing fears regarding the unfolding situation in Afghanistan. Observers stated that internet shutdown not only disrupts travelling but also sparks concerns regarding communication, trade and operations of businesses and households in Afghanistan.

Passengers said that the airline and airport staff provided them limited guidance, which further added to the confusion. International analysts warned that continued disruptions may further worsen Afghanistan's economic issues, obstruct aid coordination and isolate residents from the outside world.

This is not the first time people have faced problems due to internet shutdown in Afghanistan. Earlier on September 30, several people in Kabul complained about reduced internet speed and the challenges caused by this after fibre optic services stopped working in 10 provinces of Afghanistan

Kabul residents said that the reduction in internet speed affected their work. Wajid, an employee at a pharmaceutical company in the capital city, said 90 per cent of his work relies on the internet. However, the drop in internet service speed had caused difficulties for him, Afghanistan-based Tolo News reported.

"We need fast internet because sometimes when we send a location, it doesn't go through or get delivered. This creates a lot of problems for us in the office," he said.

Several other residents in Kabul said that disruptions in internet service have negatively affected their online education programme, personal and work-linked communication.

Shams, a Kabul resident, questioned how they can progress in marketing if internet access is better. He said, "If we have high-speed internet, we can progress in marketing and in areas where internet access is better, and we can help our country move forward."

Residents of Kabul raised complaints after fibre optic services were suspended in 10 provinces of Afghanistan - Balkh, Kandahar, Herat, Helmand, Nangarhar, Laghman, Badakhshan, Takhar, Kunduz, and Baghlan over the past week, Tolo News reported. Fibre optic internet was suspended in over 10 provinces of Afghanistan after the Taliban's order.

- IANS