The Netherlands will not recall its ambassador to Syria.

Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal feels it’s important to keep the Dutch ambassador at his post in the Syrian capital Damascus to be able to closely monitor events there.

The minister said it was especially important to have an operational embassy now that the international media are unable to enter Syria. The ambassador can also maintain contact with the Syrian opposition.

The website of the Syrian defence ministry was closed on Monday after it was attacked by hackers at the weekend in protest against the security forces’ brutal crackdown on demonstrators.

Earlier, the international hackers collective Anonymous claimed a successful attack on the defence ministry’s website via Twitter. The hackers posted photographs of bleeding protesters and a message to the Syrian people on the home page. In it, they predict the fall of the regime led by dictator Bashar al-Assad.

The web site was closed on Monday, but Anonymous spread screenshots of the ministry’s home page taken just after the attack via social media. “All tyrants will fall, and thanks to your courage Bashar al-Assad will be next,” their message read.

(gsh/rk)

© Radio Netherlands Worldwide