Taliban Ban Smartphones in Government Offices in Herat

DID Press: Taliban authorities in western Afghanistan have reportedly banned the use of smartphones inside government offices in Herat, a move officials say is aimed at preventing leaks of internal documents and information to the media.

Government employees in Herat said the restriction was introduced around two weeks ago and communicated verbally to staff, with no official written directive issued so far.

According to employees, workers are now only permitted to carry basic mobile phones without cameras while inside government institutions. Local sources said the primary objective of the measure is to stop the circulation of official documents, photographs, and internal information outside government offices.

Staff members warned that the ban has already disrupted administrative procedures and complicated communication within departments.

Sources described the move as part of a broader Taliban policy aimed at tightening control over information flows inside state institutions. Similar restrictions on smartphones and photography have previously been reported in other provinces.

Hibatullah Akhundzada has repeatedly urged Taliban members in recent years to reduce their use of smartphones, while some Taliban officials have characterized such devices as “tools of infiltration and corruption.”

Government employees in Herat cautioned that continued restrictions could weaken public services and widen the communication gap between state institutions and citizens.