The Taliban administration on Wednesday announced an internet ban across several northern Afghan provinces “to prevent immoral activities,” according to provincial government statements.

The ban, the first of its kind since the Taliban took power in 2021, will affect five northern provinces — Kunduz, Badakhshan, Baghlan, Takhar, and Balkh — covering key population centers in the region.

Officials said the restriction applies to all fiber optic internet connections, cutting off access for homes, offices, and businesses. However, mobile data services will remain available.

“This measure has been taken to prevent immoral activities,” the statement read, adding that an alternative will be provided for essential needs.

The Taliban has previously expressed concern over pornography and online interactions between men and women, and has imposed a series of morality-based restrictions since its return to power. These include banning girls from secondary school, restricting women from most jobs, requiring women to cover their faces, and even forbidding drivers from playing music.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad criticized the move, calling it absurd. “If pornography is really the concern, like in many Islamic countries, it can easily be filtered. Many countries in the Islamic world do exactly that,” he said.

The latest restriction has drawn renewed criticism from rights groups and foreign governments, who accuse the Taliban of tightening control over women’s rights and freedom of expression.