Taliban declares war on smartphones

Taliban Enforces Smartphone Prohibition Across Afghanistan

Healthcare Workers Feel the Impact

Taliban declares war on smartphones - Farzana, a 40-year-old midwife serving ten villages within Moqor district of Ghazni province, has witnessed significant changes in her daily work. Previously, anxious mothers would photograph their infants displaying rashes, swelling, or skin conditions and send these images to Farzana via mobile messaging. This visual communication helped her prioritize which cases required immediate attention.

Since the Taliban implemented their smartphone restrictions in June, Farzana has largely abandoned her mobile device. Fear of consequences has driven her to rely exclusively on traditional telephone lines for contact. This shift carries financial implications, particularly in a nation where citizens depend extensively on WhatsApp for voice calls, text messages, photo sharing, and coordinating urgent matters.

"I cannot be everywhere at once," said Farzana, who follows the Afghan tradition of using a single name. "Sometimes a photo or a message helps me understand whether a mother or newborn needs urgent help."

A Fragile Digital Network Under Pressure

Smartphones have woven themselves into Afghanistan's social fabric, creating connections that families now fear losing. Citizens utilize these devices to consult medical professionals remotely, organize transportation to hospitals located far from their homes, photograph injuries and symptoms, request financial assistance from relatives, record instances of abuse, and access educational opportunities unavailable through traditional in-person schooling for numerous girls and women.

Taliban officials issued directives on June 16 requiring government workers, judicial officers, law enforcement personnel, and military members to cease smartphone usage. Those who violate this mandate face potential confiscation, device destruction, and unspecified penalties.

Feature phones remain acceptable under the new regulations. These simpler devices offer basic calling and text messaging functions but lack touchscreens and capabilities for capturing photographs or recording audio and video.

From Verbal Orders to Formal Directives

The prohibition originated as a spoken command from Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada before evolving into a formal military court directive. This document circulated throughout Afghanistan's eight administrative zones to court administrators, police commanders, and intelligence directors. According to the directive, individuals discovered using smartphones will have their devices destroyed and must endure both legal and sharia-based punishments.

Only written decrees issued directly by Akhundzada grant exemptions. A separate judicial order extends these requirements to all officials within military and civilian institutions, including judges.

Taliban authorities have established comprehensive monitoring lists documenting employees' identities, job titles, workplaces, telecommunications carriers, and telephone numbers. Security personnel have directed staff members to destroy their smartphones personally and provide verification through designated documentation forms.

Herat Protests and Broader Implications

The timing of this directive coincided with demonstrations in Herat during early June. Taliban forces arrested women and girls they accused of violating hijab requirements—specifically failing to cover their faces and bodies according to prescribed standards and wearing makeup. Witnesses reported that Taliban forces fired upon protesters, resulting in at least one fatality. Video footage of the incident circulated across digital platforms before authorities could suppress it.

One Herat government employee, who asked NPR to withhold his identity due to concerns about Taliban retaliation, noted that phone restrictions had quietly operated within his workplace for several months prior to the national June announcement. When he and fellow employees pushed back, officials seized and smashed their devices.

"Now there's a complete ban," said Baryalai, an 18-year-old madrassa student in Kandahar province who also requested anonymity. "No one brings smartphones anymore."

Educational Institutions Implement Strict Rules

Educational settings have experienced profound transformations under these restrictions. Mobile phones serve dual purposes in schools—not merely as communication tools but as essential instruments for studying, storing lessons, contacting instructors, and maintaining family connections.

At a Kandahar madrassa, teacher Omar Istanikzai, age 30, voluntarily left his phone at home that morning without receiving explicit instructions. He expressed approval of the policy, suggesting it promotes greater academic focus.

Kabul University's leadership council announced a comprehensive smartphone prohibition effective June 21, applying to professors, administrative staff, and enrolled students. The decision was formally presented during an academic council meeting.

While ordinary Afghan civilians retain private phone ownership rights, certain provinces have already extended limitations beyond government buildings into hospitals, educational institutions, and universities. This expansion has generated concerns that the current policy may serve as a preliminary test for more extensive restrictions on public smartphone usage throughout the country.

The Taliban administration has not yet provided official commentary regarding these developments.

For readers interested in following stories about life in our changing world, NPR offers a Global Health newsletter subscription service.