Afghanistan’s main airport is at a standstill as the country grapples with the fallout of a nationwide internet shutdown imposed by the Taliban government. The Taliban has yet to give an official reason for the decision, which took effect on Monday, but did say it would last until further notice. The UN said it risked inflicting significant harm. Communication within Afghanistan, and out to the wider world, has been severely affected, as have essential services – including banking and payments – and access to online education, a lifeline for many women and girls. Kabul airport, meanwhile, was “nearly deserted”, according to one resident, with no evidence of planes arriving or leaving. Flight tracking service Flightradar24 showed that a handful of incoming and outgoing flights on Tuesday had been cancelled. Many more simply had their status marked as “unknown”.

Full report : Afghanistan is experiencing a “total internet blackout” as the Taliban imposes a telecom shutdown; an official says it will last until further notice.