US Coalition Brags About ISIS Shutting Cell Phones Off in Mosul

Kurds: ISIS Can't Be a Real Govt if They Don't Have Cell Phones

Members of the US anti-ISIS coalition are crowing about ISIS shutting down cellular telephone service in Mosul, saying it proves the war against ISIS is having a major impact.

“By shutting down the network they show the people that they’re not a real government because they can’t even provide mobile phone service,” insisted one Kurdish official.

ISIS shut off the phone service to thwart spotters who were providing targeting information to the coalition to launch airstrikes against ISIS forces. Service appears to still be active across much of the rest of ISIS territory.

But Mosul is the largest city ISIS has, and keeping service off there is a hardship for the people in the city, even if it does slow the number of foreign airstrikes against their territory.

It remains to be seen how long ISIS intends to keep the service shut off in Mosul, but with the US talking up an attack on Mosul as soon as January, it will likely last until then.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.