A source told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that despite the complete shutdown of telecommunications in Afghanistan, only international organizations and diplomatic missions in Kabul continue to access the internet through VSAT, while ordinary citizens remain cut off.
Speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily on Wednesday, October 1, the source said banks, money exchanges, customs offices, and several Taliban-run departments are operating in a semi-paralyzed state, leaving citizens in an atmosphere of confusion and anger.
The source added that the state-run Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA) has informed GSM service providers that they are seeking permission from Kandahar to resume mobile phone services by the end of the week.
Meanwhile, two rumors have spread widely in Kabul: first, the possible return of U.S. forces to Bagram airbase, and second, leadership changes within the Taliban’s security institutions, particularly the removal of the Taliban’s interior minister.
The source dismissed the likelihood of a U.S. return to Bagram but said the issue of Sirajuddin Haqqani’s removal from the Interior Ministry appeared more serious.
According to information obtained, Yousuf Wafa, the Taliban’s governor of Mazar, has reportedly been appointed as interior minister, while Haqqani has been reassigned to the eastern province of Khost.
