Residents took to the streets to celebrate the restoration of internet and telecommunications services across Afghanistan, which the Taliban government had shut down.

Reporters in Afghanistan reported that communications services had been restored. Netblocks, which monitors internet outages, said data showed that network data had been "partially restored."

A source close to the government told BBC Afghan that the internet was restored on the orders of the Taliban prime minister.

The 48-hour communication blackout has disrupted business and flights, and has also limited residents' access to emergency services.

The service suspension has also raised fears that it will further marginalize Afghan women, whose rights have been severely eroded since the extremist Islamist group returned to power in 2021.

Hundreds of Afghans were seen celebrating in the capital Kabul on Wednesday night after news of the internet being restored.

It is worth noting that during the internet outage, banks in central Kabul were closed and shopping malls were empty.