Afghanistan banned YouTube on Wednesday, Sept 12, so Afghans would not be able to watch a U.S.-made film insulting the Prophet Mohammad that has sparked protests in Egypt and Libya and the killing of the U.S. ambassador to Libya, the Ministry of Communications said.

"We have been told to shut down YouTube to the Afghan public until the video is taken down," Reuters quoted Aimal Marjan, general director of Information Technology at the ministry, as saying.

In the past, material and actions deemed insulting to Islam have sparked deadly riots in Afghanistan.