Tweets were flying last night that Internet and cell phone communications had been severed in Damascus amid reports of intense fire-fights between pro-government forces and Syrian rebels over the weekend. The scattered reports and rumors are fueling speculation that the end of the brutal Assad regime may be nigh:

(CSMonitor) — The fighting reportedly took place in Mezzeh, a neighborhood that is home to a number of government security facilities, United Nations headquarters, and foreign embassies. Many government loyalists also live in the area. Monday’s violence is the most fighting seen in Damascus since the Syrian uprising began a year ago. The clashes stand in stark opposition to claims by the Syrian government that they are in control of the capital.

It’s unclear if this was a skirmish or something larger, or what it means. There’s little in the way of reliable reporting out of the Syrian capital, and past uprisings in what has been dubbed Arab Spring often move very fast once they reach an unpredictable, critical mass.