Syria Internet Access Has Been Shut Down

Syria internet access has been shut down by the government, according to The Huffington Post.

“In the global routing table, all 84 of Syria’s IP address blocks have become unreachable, effectively removing the country from the Internet,” a post on research firm Renesys’ website explained. The country reportedly went offline around noon this morning (November 29).

The Associated Press reports that cellphone service and land lines were not operational in some parts of the capital. The Syrian government has been known to temporarily suspend service in areas where military operations are underway.

Abu Qais al-Shami, an activist who lives outside of the country, told the AP that he has had difficulty making contact with folks inside Syria. Those individuals he has been able to reach were using satellite phones to get around the communication blockade.

The Christian Science Monitor is reporting that other activists have confirmed that internet access has been shut down in certain areas of Syria. Some have referred to the disconnection as an “unprecedented blackout.” It’s presently unknown when access will be restored.

According to Reuters, an anonymous source close to Syrian security said that a “cleansing operation” was currently underway in parts of the country. The purpose of the mission is to remove any possible terrorist and rebel threats from the capital city.

In addition to internet access and other forms of communication, flights to and from Damascus have been interrupted as well. While some planes remain grounded, others are allowed to go about their business as scheduled.

“The Egypt Air plane has arrived … and passengers are all safe but the pilot was instructed to take off back to Cairo without passengers if he felt that the situation there is not good to stay for longer,” an official with Cairo airport explained.

As of this writing, Syria internet access is still disabled. Activists are unsure when these services will be reinstated.