Dhaka, Sept. 30 -- Air travel in Afghanistan has come to a halt after the Taliban government imposed a nationwide internet shutdown, leaving the country largely cut off from the outside world and crippling essential services.

The suspension, which began Monday evening, has severely disrupted communications, banking, payments and online education - considered a vital lifeline for many women and girls barred from attending schools and universities.

Kabul's main airport was described as "nearly deserted" by residents, with no visible arrivals or departures. Flight-tracking site Flightradar24 showed a handful of flights cancelled on Tuesday, while many others were marked "unknown." Some passengers were told that flights would not resume unt...