Taliban rebels have told mobile phone companies that they must shut down at night or have their towers blown up.

Apparently, rebels are angry that international forces have used the mobile phones to track them down. Qari Mohammad Yousuf, a spokesman for the Taliban, ironically by a mobile phone from an undisclosed location, issued the order recently.

He said that since the occupying forces stationed in Afghanistan usually at night use mobile phones for espionage to track down the Mujahideen. The Islamic Emirate gave a three-day ultimatum to all mobile phone firms to switch off their phones from five in the afternoon until seven in the morning.

If they do not obey the order, the Taliban will target their towers and offices, he added. Mobile phone networks are the only means of communication in Afghanistan.

More here.