The Syrian Telecommunications Company announced that the international submarine cable linking the coast of Tartous and the Egyptian city of Alexandria was exposed to an act of sabotage near the Syrian coast, which led to Internet services being affected for a wide segment of subscribers in various parts of the country.
The company confirmed that its technical teams had begun dealing with the incident, explaining that the necessary maintenance work to repair the cable and fully restore services would take some time, while describing what happened as part of a “systematic sabotage campaign” targeting the communications sector in Syria.
Communications artery
The submarine cable between Tartous and Alexandria is one of the most important international routes that Syria relies on to connect to the global Internet, as any defect in it leads to a decline in the quality of service and a decrease in communication speeds, in light of the heavy reliance on it for international data transfer.
No effect on Egypt
On the other hand, an official Egyptian source in the telecommunications sector confirmed that Internet or mobile communications services inside Egypt were not affected by the accident, indicating that Telecom Egypt had begun investigating the causes of the sudden cable outage.
Strategic importance
Submarine cables form the backbone of global communications networks, transmitting about 99% of international data traffic. Over the past years, Syria has witnessed similar incidents that caused repeated interruptions in Internet services, amid repeated accusations of targeting vital infrastructure.
The incident comes at a time when Syria is witnessing complex security and political challenges, amid growing fears of targeting basic infrastructure facilities, including electricity and communications networks and ports.
The Syrian Telecommunications Company announced that the international submarine cable linking the coast of Tartus and the Egyptian city of Alexandria has been subjected to a sabotage near the Syrian coast, which has affected internet services for a wide range of subscribers across the country.
The company confirmed that its technical teams have begun addressing the incident, explaining that the necessary maintenance work to repair the cable and restore services fully will take some time, while describing what happened as part of a “systematic sabotage campaign” targeting the telecommunications sector in Syria.
Communication Lifeline
The submarine cable between Tartus and Alexandria is considered one of the most important international routes that Syria relies on for connection to the global internet network, as any disruption in it leads to a decline in service quality and reduced connection speeds, given the heavy reliance on it for international data transmission.
No impact on Egypt
In contrast, a responsible Egyptian source in the telecommunications sector confirmed that internet services or mobile communications within Egypt have not been affected by the incident, noting that the Egyptian Telecommunications Company has begun investigating the reasons for the sudden disruption of the cable.
Strategic Importance
Submarine cables form the backbone of global telecommunications networks, carrying about 99% of international data traffic. Syria has experienced similar incidents in recent years that have caused repeated interruptions to internet services, amid repeated accusations of targeting vital infrastructure.
The incident comes at a time when Syria is facing complex security and political challenges, with increasing fears of targeting essential infrastructure facilities, including electricity networks, telecommunications, and ports.
