BBC news bulletins forced off-air in Afghanistan by Taliban

The broadcaster said their TV news bulletin in Pashto, Persian and Uzbek had been forced off air

BBC news taken off-air in Afghanistan after Taliban ruling (Ian West/PA) (PA Archive)

The BBC’s TV news bulletins have been taken off-air in Afghanistan after the Taliban “ordered our TV partners to remove international broadcasters from their airwaves”.

The corporation has called on the Taliban to “reverse their decision”, claiming the service reaches six million Afghans weekly.

The Taliban were ousted in 2001 by a US-led coalition, but swept back into power last August following America’s chaotic end to 20 years of war in Afghanistan.

On Sunday, the BBC announced its TV news bulletin in Pashto, Persian and Uzbek had been taken off-air in Afghanistan following a Taliban order.

Tarik Kafala, head of languages, BBC World Service, said: “This is a worrying development at a time of uncertainty and turbulence for the people of Afghanistan.

“More than six million Afghans consume the BBC’s independent and impartial journalism on TV every week and it is crucial they are not denied access to it in the future.

“We call on the Taliban to reverse their decision and allow our TV partners to return the BBC’s news bulletins to their airwaves immediately.”