Syria calls Instagram account closure 'war,' site says error

By The Associated Press April 23, 2019 at 12:41pm

BEIRUT (AP) — The Syrian Presidency says its official account on the social media site Instagram has been shut down, calling it an “unjustified” closure that is part of the war against the government of President Bashar Assad.

Instagram, however, said Tuesday the Syrian Presidency account was removed “in error” and has since been restored.

The Syrian Presidency said it opened a new account. It apologized to its over 7,000 new followers for the few posts.

In one of only six posts, the presidency said the shutdown was part of an escalating “soft war” against the government after its military successes in the civil war now in its ninth year.

The U.S. has tightened sanctions imposed on Syria’s government in recent weeks. They were first imposed over Damascus’ bloody crackdown on protesters.

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