Kabul, October 13, 2026 — FM radio broadcasts by the British broadcaster BBC have been suspended in Afghanistan. The BBC confirmed that its FM broadcasts had been suspended nationwide and said it was in contact with the relevant Afghan authorities to resolve the issue.
According to Reuters, Khabeeb Ghufran, a spokesperson for Afghanistan's Ministry of Information and Culture, said BBC operations had been temporarily suspended over alleged repeated violations. The spokesperson did not, however, provide details or evidence concerning the nature of those alleged violations.
A BBC spokesperson said millions of people in Afghanistan rely on the broadcaster's programs for news and information, adding that it was working with Afghan officials to resolve the issue.
Media reports indicate that the restriction concerns FM radio broadcasts within Afghanistan. BBC programs in Dari, Pashto and English were reported to remain available through other means, including shortwave and medium-wave radio, digital platforms and satellite services.
It is not yet clear when FM services might resume. Both the Afghan authorities' position and the BBC's response are relevant to the story; no definitive conclusion about the alleged violations can be drawn before further details are provided.