Internet and cell phone service down in Syria

In a drastic move to counter the recent gains made by the Free Army, Syrian president Bashar al Assad’s regime has severed internet access and cellphone service across the country. Technology companies such as U.S. company Renesys, who have been monitoring internet service in the country say that international internet connectivity was lost across the country at 12:26 local time on Thursday. “In the global routing table, all 84 of Syria’s IP address blocks have become unreachable, effectively removing the country from the Internet,” Renesys stated on its website.

In addition, the largest commercial airport in the capital city of Damascus canceled flights due to fighting nearby. “They’ve turned it into a military airport lately,” said Abdul Rahman al-Barra, 27, an activist in the Damascus suburbs, adding that rebels had recently captured 40 pro-government militiamen in ambushes on the airport road. “Helicopters and warplanes land there, and Russian and Iranian experts travel through it. It’s a hit-and-run kind of battle,” he said. “The Free Syrian Army is using mortar shells without getting close to the airport, which the regime is firmly gripping now.””

The disruption of Damascus International Airport’s operation is a significant blow to the Assad regime. The government has been depending on it for obtaining supplies, money and weapons and to project a sense of normalcy.  The willingness of the government to launch counteroffensives so close to Damascus, where much of the Assad regime resides, indicates perhaps the regime is feeling the pressure the Free Army has been putting on the government with its string of recent victories such as taking oil fields in eastern Syria and a major air base near Aleppo.