By now you know the Middle East is currently being swallowed by a grimy dust storm, but in Syria, that means much more than just a chalky morning.
Like those before it, this week's storm makes for one important difference for daily life in the country — zero government airstrikes.
Damascus reported a halt in operations over the lack of visibility Monday, leading the Internet to muse about the irony of a natural disaster having the ability to do what international efforts have so far failed to.
Sandstorm in the Middle East. Nature imposes her own No Fly Zones sometimes :-)
— Maysaloon (@Maysaloon) September 8, 2015Again, the only deterrent to Assad's air force is mother nature. Rain and now a massive sand storm, are literally saving lives #Syria
— Syria Pragmatist (@AlexSchuchman) September 8, 2015But the calm in the skies meant more action on the ground. The storm tore through areas across Latakia, Palmyra, Aleppo and Idlib, allowing al-Qaeda's Syria wing al Nusra to launch an attack on the government-held Abu al-Duhur airbase in Idlib.
#Syria #Idlib Nusra hit Abu ad-Duhur - Military Airbase with VBIED -also violent clashes under cover of sandstorm http://t.co/FNumPO05LW
— Mark (@markito0171) September 7, 2015According to a report from al-Akhbar, the militant group launched hundreds of missiles into the military base while suicide bombers rushed toward the facility's main gate. Syrian soldiers fought back the attack, but the rush penetrated the facility for a short time beforehand.
By Tuesday, the facility was reportedly still in the hands of the Syrian government. But between Twitter's No Fly musings and the actual clashes unfolding amid the quiet skies, we're reminded there's a lot more than yellow skies and Vine videos coming out of this sandstorm.
