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Unblock Syria

GitHub

GitHub works in Syria, but not all of it, as of .

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World's largest code hosting platform for version control and collaboration

Last Updated

Alternative to

GitLab

High-vote services get prioritized for outreach

What works

Each part of the service, checked from Syria.

Core useWorks

Community testing over a DSL connection in Syria in February 2026 found cloning a public repository with git completing normally.

DownloadsFails

The reporter says downloading assets from GitHub in Syria failed unless a VPN was turned on.

Landing pageWorks

Community testing from Syria in February 2026 found github.com loading normally for a signed-in account, including the page for creating a new repository.

Images & mediaFails

Without a VPN, some images hosted on GitHub failed to load on a repository page over a mobile connection in Syria, including the README banner, and showed as broken images. The reporter says the same images loaded over a fixed-line (ADSL) connection, as the second screenshot shows.

Sign-upNot checked
Sign-inWorks

Community testing from Syria in February 2026 found signing in to GitHub works: a signed-in account could start creating a new repository.

PaymentNot checked
UpgradeFails

Community testing from Syria in February 2026 found GitHub refusing private repositories and paid services to an account it treated as based in a sanctioned region, with a notice citing regional policies and U.S. trade controls. Free services for public repositories stayed available.

PayoutNot checked
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Progress Timeline

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Activity Summary

Restricted for users in Syria: basic access returned in February 2026, but trade-control restrictions on accounts flagged as Syrian remain. Microsoft's export-controls team acknowledged volunteers' requests in February, and follow-ups through June 2026 have gone unanswered.

Follow-up Sent

Community Updates

A fifth volunteer wrote to Microsoft's export-controls team, again asking that Syria be onboarded following the lifted sanctions.

Need Help with GitHub?

If you're experiencing issues accessing GitHub in Syria, you can reach out to their support team directly.

Support Page

Work at Microsoft? Know someone who does?

Sanctions are lifted. Most companies just haven't updated their policies. A word from inside Microsoft can change that.

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Tips for advocating

  • Reach out to legal, compliance, or policy teams.
  • Reference the lifted sanctions.
  • Point to competitors who have already unblocked Syria.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Partly. The core use of GitHub works in Syria, but something else about it fails or has not been checked. This page lists what works and what does not.

Many international services blocked access to Syria due to previous sanctions and compliance policies. Even as sanctions are being reviewed, some companies have not yet restored access. Unblock Syria tracks these services and advocates for change.

You can help by voting on this page to show demand, sharing it on social media, and contacting GitHub directly to request they restore access for Syrian users.