Syria : Internet Shutdown Wreaks Havoc on Aleppo
►http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/syria-internet-shutdown-wreaks-havoc-aleppo
For a variety of reasons, whether for extortion or to free prisoners detained by the regime, the opposition Sharia Council which controls parts of the northern city of Aleppo has decided to cut off internet service to millions of residents and displaced refugees living in the city.
Among the hardest hit are the banks and other financial institutions, particularly those that conduct money transfers, which are heavily reliant on the internet. It has also made the task of obtaining identification documents or conducting any government transactions – for residents and displaced alike – next to impossible.
Due to the internet shutdown, simple transaction like Mais Rajab’s attempt to register as a newly graduated lawyer with her union may now take months, instead of a few days. Many of the once vibrant city’s commercial establishments, which have been operating under extremely difficult conditions for two years now, have ground to a halt.