KABUL: Afghanistan faced a second day without Internet and mobile phone service on Tuesday, after Taliban authorities cut the fiber optic network. Taliban authorities began shutting down high speed Internet connections to some provinces earlier in the month to prevent “vice.” On Monday night, mobile phone signal and Internet service gradually weakened until connectivity was less than one percent of ordinary levels, according to Internet watchdog NetBlocks.

An internet advocacy group says connectivity in Afghanistan has “collapsed” with a near-total nationwide telecoms disruption in effect.

Mobile phone and internet signals are less than 1 per cent of ordinary levels, in line with an ‘intentional disconnection’, watchdog says.