Border clashes over the weekend between Afghanistan and Pakistan led to the deaths of dozens of soldiers, the most serious clash between the two countries since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 2021,

A telecommunications blackout and restrictions on social media have further isolated Afghans who rely on the internet as a lifeline.

The blackout has affected essentially all wireless internet connections, mobile internet, and telephone services. News outlets have reported disruptions to banking services, hospitals, businesses, government offices, news organizations, education, airports, and visa issuances in a country of roughly 43 million people.

On October 8-10, 2025, the People’s Tribunal for Women of Afghanistan, part of the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT), an international opinion tribunal competent