Internet BlackOut!

At the moment, we don’t have any further news from Afghanistan following the Taliban’s decision to almost totally cut off internet access nationwide yesterday at around 5pm.

Rumors of a shutdown began circulating about two weeks ago. Until now, we had only been able to reach our fixers in Kandahar and Helmand intermittently. We hoped this was limited to a security operation in the south, and were reassured it would not affect Kabul or those engaged in international business. As of this morning, however, international flights are no longer landing in Kabul due to the blackout.

This internet shutdown comes at a key moment for tourism. Earlier this week, the government introduced changes to the travel permit system: international tourists can no longer travel alone without a guide, or without approval from a company licensed by the Afghan Tour Organisation (ATO). Safarat has held this license since our founding, but the system has always been vague and full of loopholes. We will see how these changes unfold in the days ahead.

For now, it appears most Afghan embassies are unable to communicate with their ministries, as government departments rely heavily on internet-based tools (often WhatsApp) to function. This has created real uncertainty about the current visa situation, with no clear guidance available.

As with everything in Afghanistan, the reality is complex and uneven. For example, our friends and fixers in Nuristan still appear to have internet access despite the wider blackout.

We strongly recommend that customers wait for further clarity before making any changes to their travel plans. This situation is unlikely to be sustainable and may resolve itself in the coming days.

Finally, thank you to everyone who has reached out. We want to reassure you that Noory and Joe are safe and remain in contact with us via satellite device.