Terrorists blackout internet in Syria

This Google analytics chart shows a sharp drop in Syria’s Internet traffic to nearly zero on November 29 2011.

Syrian minister blames “terrorists” for Internet blackout
29 November, 2012 – Al Akhbar

Syria’s Information Minister Omran al-Zoabi claims “terrorists” attacked Syria’s Internet network causing the nation-wide web blackout Thursday. The statement was made to Syria’s Al-Ikhbariyya al-Souriyya TV channel.

A Syrian State TV report said the Internet blackout was brought on by a fault in the technical cable, according to Reuters, contradicting Zoabi’s claims of a militant attack.

State-owned Syrian Telecommunications Establishment controls all of the country’s Internet networks, making Zoabi’s allegations less than credible among Internet activists on social networks.

Seventy-seven Internet networks went offline throughout Syria all day Thursday and phone lines appear to be severely disrupted prompting speculation about significantly escalated fighting in the crisis-ridden country.

Two Austrian peacekeepers were wounded near Damascus airport as their convoy came under fire this evening, according to Reuters, while some media report that rebels started shelling the capital’s airport on Thursday. Previously, several reports said Damascus-bound flights were being rerouted, sparking speculation that the airport was closed.

Internet Intelligence Authority Renesys reported that affected Internet networks, which represent 92 percent of the country’s routed networks, have sporadically experienced outages since this morning at 10:26:30 GMT.

Various Twitter sources said phone lines were also faltering. Al-Akhbar was able to get through to contacts in Damascus, but not in the Tartous area. Attempted communications also show that phone lines in the outskirts of Damascus appear to be down. …source