The United Nations mission in Afghanistan on Tuesday called on the Taliban to reopen internet and telecommunications services nationwide, warning that the ongoing blackout has left the country largely isolated from the world.

The outage, first reported Monday, is the first nationwide internet shutdown since the Taliban regained power in August 2021 and is part of their stated campaign against “immorality.”

Earlier this month, several provinces lost fiber-optic connections following a decree from Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada restricting the service.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said the disruption is undermining the country’s fragile economy and worsening one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. It noted that the blackout is affecting banking and financial systems, limiting women and girls’ access to services, disrupting medical care and remittances, and hindering aviation operations.

The mission also said that such restrictions curtail freedom of expression and the right to information. Telecommunications, it added, are especially vital during emergencies, pointing to recent earthquakes in eastern Afghanistan and the ongoing forced returns of people from neighboring countries.

The UN mission said the internet suspension, first implemented on Sept. 16, spread nationwide by Sept. 29. It pledged to continue pressing the Taliban authorities to restore connectivity in support of the Afghan population.