TALUQAN (SW) – The Taliban have been controlling telecommunications across Takhar province for the past two years now, said local officials.
According to officials, the Taliban have warned telecom operatives in the province that they will be punished if they do not suspend their network after three hours every day.
Takhar residents recently staged multiple protests against disruption in communications, but the officials of the telecom companies and the local administration have not been able to operate the telecommunication networks during night.
Residents of the province said the Taliban have warned telecom companies that if they provide services to the public at night, they will set fire to the towers of telecommunications networks. Residents acknowledge that several boosting towers of telecommunication companies have been torched by the insurgents.
These protests and criticisms by civil society activists in Takhar prompted the Salam Network to continue to provide services to the people in the city of Taluqan, the center of the province and surrounding districts during night.
However, it has been a week since the Salaam Network has been shut down day and night.
Abdul Ghafoor Talash, Director of Telecommunications in Takhar, told Salam Watandar that the Taliban cut off the lines of Salam Telecommunication Network in Kunduz leading to disruptions in Takhar.
He said these problems will continue as long as security forces do not secure the areas where the telecom transmission lines pass.
Meanwhile, Zabihullah Mujahid, one of the Taliban’s spokespersons, told Salam Watandar that since Salam Network works for the government, its operations have been suspended.
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