Afghan authorities have suspended the BBC’s FM radio broadcasts across Afghanistan, the broadcaster said on Tuesday, in a move that has cut off a widely used source of news and information.

The BBC said it was working with the authorities to resolve the situation. A spokesperson said millions of people across Afghanistan rely on the BBC for accurate news and information.

The statement did not identify which authority ordered the suspension, explain the legal basis or say how long the order would remain in force. Those omissions are significant: a temporary technical interruption, an administrative directive and a broader ban on broadcasts would carry different implications for listeners and for the country’s media environment.

Radio remains particularly important in Afghanistan. It can reach people who have limited internet access, live far from major cities or depend on battery-powered receivers when electricity and communications are unreliable. A nationwide FM suspension therefore affects more than the BBC’s direct audience; it reduces the number of independent channels available to people trying to verify official claims and local reports.

The BBC has continued to operate Afghan-language services through other platforms, but the immediate effect of the suspension is a loss of terrestrial access. Whether online, satellite or shortwave alternatives are available will vary by location, equipment and the authorities’ response.

The episode also raises a question about transparency. If the suspension is based on a technical or licensing issue, the public should be told what rule is being applied and what steps would restore the broadcasts. If it is part of a wider restriction on international media, the order should be understood as a policy decision rather than treated as a routine broadcast dispute.

For now, the confirmed facts are narrow but important: FM broadcasts have been suspended nationwide according to the BBC, the broadcaster is seeking a resolution, and the responsible authority and legal explanation have not been publicly identified in the available reporting.