Afghanistan Faces Diplomatic Rift, Internet Blackout, and Rising Human Trafficking Concerns
Afghanistan is facing a series of alarming developments this week, ranging from diplomatic resignations abroad to a nationwide communications blackout and growing concerns over human trafficking.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), staff at Afghanistan’s consulate in Bonn, Germany, resigned en masse in protest against Berlin’s decision to accept Taliban-appointed diplomats. Hamid Nangiali Kabiri, the acting head of the consulate, warned that the presence of Taliban representatives could endanger the security of Afghan citizens’ documents and sensitive information. The resignations came shortly after Germany confirmed the accreditation of two Taliban diplomats, a move sharply criticized by Afghan diaspora representatives.
Inside Afghanistan, millions were left cut off from communication after a sudden internet and mobile phone shutdown that began late Monday and continued through Tuesday. Tolo News reported that both fiber-optic internet services and telephone networks were disabled in stages across the country, while broadcasts by Moby Group outlets, including TOLOnews TV and Arman FM, faced disruptions.
The monitoring group NetBlocks confirmed connectivity had dropped to near zero, describing the shutdown as a “total internet blackout” imposed by Taliban authorities as part of new “morality measures.” The disruption also impacted operations at Kabul airport. The Taliban’s chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid did not respond to inquiries from Anadolu Agency about the reasons behind the blackout.
Meanwhile, a report released by the U.S. State Department has raised urgent concerns about the rise in human trafficking across Afghanistan. The annual Trafficking in Persons report warned that minorities such as Shia Hazaras, Ahmadis, Sikhs, Hindus, and Baha’is face heightened risks of forced labour, sexual exploitation, and recruitment by armed groups. It added that many members of these communities have been forced into hiding or flight, leaving them vulnerable to traffickers.
The report further noted that Afghan men, women, and children seeking work in Iran and Pakistan are often exploited by intermediaries, while those deported back to Afghanistan face renewed risks amid worsening poverty. Children, particularly boys, are coerced into hard labour, crime, and drug trafficking, while others are recruited by armed groups or forced into begging. Afghan women and girls remain especially vulnerable due to Taliban restrictions on education and employment, which drive many into forced marriages or trafficking networks.
