Internet Outage Strands Passengers in Kabul; Kam Air Flights Grounded

DID Press: For the past two days, the Taliban caretaker government’s shutdown of fiber-optic internet has caused major disruptions at Kabul International Airport. On Thursday morning, a Kam Air flight from Kabul to Istanbul was delayed by several hours, leaving dozens of passengers stranded in the airport’s waiting area.

Passengers report that the main problem lies not inside the airport, but in reaching it and coordinating with travel agencies and ticket offices across the provinces. Many travelers have come from northern Afghanistan, particularly Balkh, Takhar, Baghlan, and Badakhshan—regions where fiber-optic internet has been completely cut. The lack of connectivity has disrupted ticket verification, communication with offices, and access to travel services, causing significant stress for families.

Passengers said they waited for hours at the airport without the airline being able to provide a confirmed departure time.

Although Kabul Airport itself has internet access, the outage in the provinces has created a crisis not only for passengers but also for travel agencies and service providers. As a result, thousands of citizens have effectively lost the ability to plan trips or access air transport services.

Economic experts warn that such disruptions could have far-reaching consequences. Air transport remains one of Afghanistan’s few links to the outside world, and instability in this sector severely threatens trade, investment, and tourism.

The Taliban caretaker government has justified the northern internet shutdown as a measure to “prevent immorality,” but observers say it reflects a backward-looking policy that further isolates Afghanistan. The outage infringes on citizens’ basic right to information and demonstrates how the lack of communication infrastructure can directly paralyze daily life and the economy.