Syria remains cut off from Internet, phone access

Syrian Internet and mobile phone links remained cut for a third straight day yesterday, an AFP correspondent in Damascus reported, amid US accusations the government is deliberately seeking to deprive the opposition of communications.
But activists and human rights monitors said that ordinary civilians were harder hit by the blackout than the opposition as they unable to use cellphones even to call for emergency assistance in the event of casualties from the persistent violence rocking the country.
An activist in a rebel-held area of Syria contacted by AFP from Beirut said that it was primarily people in areas still under government control who were affected by the blackout.
The fighting sparked mounting expressions of concern from UN officials. UN chief Ban Ki-moon said the conflict had reached "appalling heights of brutality" as at least 122 people were killed on Friday, including 73 civilians and 22 fighters from neighbouring Lebanon.