More than seven communication antennas have been destroyed by the Taliban in southern Helmand province, communication officials said on Tuesday.
Officials said communication companies in turbulent Helmand province, the spiritual home of the Taliban, were threatened to stop their services in the province warning that otherwise they would disrupt their services in other provinces too.
Afghan Information and Technology Ministry said it will pay for the losses.
“Anti-government groups want the cell phones off at night,” Head of Communication Services Regulation office Khair Mohammad Faizi.
Parliamentarians representing southern Helmand province say the companies were paying money to the Taliban to let them continue their services there.
“Communication antennas have been installed in areas under the Taliban control. And the government cannot not provide security to the antennas,” said Abdul Jabar Qahraman, an MP representing Helmand in the House of Representatives.
“Communication companies had previously paid money to the Taliban and now the companies have decreased the payments. We want security organisations to make efforts to provide security to the companies,” Masoud Noorzai, another MP representing Helmand, said.
Residents in the province have warned the companies to immediately restore their services or they should move all their installations out of the province.
