The streets of Iraq were flooded with protestors this week who have reportedly caught the attention of the Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi’s government. The New York Times reports that throughout the country, protestors have mobilized against “corruption, unemployment and a lack of basic services.”

The Republic of Iraq has suffered instability since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003. The current government has struggled to maintain control over its territory, losing ground to the Islamic State and other militias.

It seems that matters finally reached a boiling point as protestors began to demonstrate against the government this week. According to NPR, the protestors, “have been met with live ammunition from security forces attempting to break up the mass demonstrations.” More than 100 civilians have been killed in the violence, and the upheaval shows little sign of stopping.

In addition to government crackdowns on the protestors, including imposing curfews, detaining journalists and using violence to disperse crowds,the Iraqi government has been using more modern techniques to disrupt demonstrations. NPR reports that “authorities cut off Internet service in Baghdad and across much of the country.”

According to John Carroll political science professor Jennifer Ziemke, cutting off protestors from social media is a common strategy. Often, though, this method is ineffective. As images of the violence continue to make their way out of Iraq, it seems the government’s efforts to cut off communications between demonstrators have, in fact, not been totally effective. “Usually it backfires. People find a way to connect,” Ziemke said.

It’s unclear whether or not these protests are indicative of a coming change in Iraq. The prime minister has suggested that he is willing to listen to the protesters’ demands, but his ability to materially address the concerns is unclear at best. Hence, the country remains deeply divided and the government fundamentally weak, according to the BBC. As protesters offer a glimmer of hope in a country so long mired in violence, the eyes of the world once again fall on Iraq.