Afghanistan Taliban impose smartphone ban on government officials

In mid‑June the Taliban issued an instruction prohibiting Afghan government employees from using smartphones, stating violations could lead to dismissal and court proceedings. The directive has been applied inconsistently: some ministries interpret it as a ban on phone use in offices, others confiscate and destroy personal devices. UNAMA reported that while some officials stopped posting on social media, others continue to use laptops after work hours, and official Taliban accounts remain active online.

The ban reflects an ongoing internal dispute within the Taliban between hard‑line leaders, based in Kandahar, who view smartphones and internet access as immoral, and more pragmatic officials in Kabul who see them as essential for business and communication. Earlier, leader Haibatullah Akhundzada ordered a nationwide internet shutdown for two days in the previous autumn to curb “immorality.”