KABUL: Access to several social media sites, including Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, has been “intentionally restricted” in Afghanistan, an Internet watchdog said Wednesday, a week after a 48-hour telecommunications blackout in the country.
Social media sites have been intermittently accessible on smartphones in provinces across the country since Tuesday, AFP journalists reported, while Internet speed is significantly slower than normal.
“The restrictions are now confirmed on multiple providers, the pattern shows an intentional restriction,” said NetBlocks, a watchdog organization that monitors cybersecurity and Internet governance.
The disruption is “primarily impacting mobile with some fix-lines also affected.”
The Taliban government has not responded to requests for comment from AFP.
Confusion gripped Afghanistan last Monday when mobile phone service and the Internet went down without warning, freezing businesses and cutting people off from the rest of the world.
The massive blackout came weeks after the government began cutting high-speed Internet connections to some provinces to prevent “immorality,” on the orders of shadowy supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.
At the time, Netblocks said the blackout “appears consistent with the intentional disconnection of service,” adding that connection slowed to around one percent of ordinary levels.
It is the first time since the Taliban government won their insurgency in 2021 and imposed a strict version of Islamic law that communications have been cut in the country.
The government has yet to comment on the blackout.
For Afghan girls and women in particular, the Internet is a lifeline in a country where they are banned from secondary schools, universities, gyms, parks and most work.
“I would feel really sad if they banned Instagram or other social media because it’s the only way I can connect with the world,” said 24-year-old Ghezal, who asked for only her first name to be used.
“These social media platforms are the main way I stay connected with my friends who live in other countries.”
At the beginning of 2025, 13.2 million people had access to the Internet in Afghanistan — around 30.5 percent of the population, according to the specialist website DataReportal.
Around 4.05 million people were using social media.
Afghan mobile access to Facebook, Instagram intentionally restricted: watchdog
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Afghan mobile access to Facebook, Instagram intentionally restricted: watchdog
- Netblocks said last week’s blackout “appears consistent with the intentional disconnection of service”
- Social media sites have been intermittently accessible on smartphones in provinces across the country since Tuesday, while Internet speed is significantly slower than normal
University of Hong Kong hosts the first Saudi Economic Forum to boost China–Saudi ties
- The high-level event served as a new platform for bilateral dialogue and cross-sector collaboration
RIYADH: The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has hosted the first-ever Saudi Economic Forum in Riyadh, bringing together nearly 100 senior officials, academics, and business leaders to deepen cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia in education, innovation, and economic growth.
Held under the theme “Enhancing the Global Competitiveness of Chinese and Saudi Institutions,” the forum marked a significant milestone in advancing strategic alignment between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Saudi Vision 2030.
The high-level event served as a new platform for bilateral dialogue and cross-sector collaboration, with participants exploring joint opportunities in investment, technology, renewable energy, and artificial intelligence.
Professor Hongbin Cai, dean of the faculty of business and economics at HKU, said the university aspires to become a “knowledge bridge” between the two nations, leveraging its global standing and extensive international networks. He noted that educational collaboration would be a cornerstone of the Saudi–Chinese partnership.
Saudi Arabia’s Assistant Deputy Minister of Investment, Fahad Al-Hashem, emphasized the depth of the China–Saudi partnership, noting that bilateral trade now exceeds $150 billion, with a growth rate of around 30 percent annually.
He reaffirmed the Kingdom’s openness to partnerships with China’s leading universities and technology companies, particularly in future-focused sectors aligned with Vision 2030, including education, digital transformation, AI, and clean energy.
The forum featured panel discussions on cross-border education, global city development, and technology transfer, with experts stressing the importance of joint ventures in the digital economy and smart infrastructure.
Participants said Saudi Arabia could benefit from China’s successful experiences in energy transition, infrastructure modernization, and innovation ecosystems as it builds globally competitive cities and institutions.
The Saudi Economic Forum concluded with calls for sustained academic and corporate partnerships to enhance institutional excellence and global competitiveness. Organizers said the initiative will continue to facilitate knowledge exchange and support national transformation goals in both countries, namely in the fields of technology and innovation.
