Travel Update-Weekly Edition

Afghanistan - The U.S. Embassy in Kabul issued the following Warden Message on September 19: "This message wishes to inform American citizens in Afghanistan that with the arrival of Ramadan, anti-coalition forces and insurgent activity levels are expected to rise; especially the use of suicide bombers, both body and vehicular borne. There have been recent increases in threats to Coalition and American personnel throughout the country, especially in the eastern provinces and in Kabul City. Additionally, historically, a few months before the onset of winter, insurgent activity increases."

 

Algeria - On September 14, the U.S. Department of State released the following Travel Warning: "This Travel Warning is being updated to alert U.S. citizens to recent terrorist attacks directed against foreigners in Algeria. The threat from terrorism in many areas of the country continues to pose a significant security risk. This supersedes the Travel Warning issued on March 22, 2007. "The Department of State urges U.S. citizens who travel to Algeria to evaluate carefully the risk posed to their personal safety. Sustained small-scale terrorist attacks including bombings, false roadblocks, kidnappings, ambushes, and assassinations occur regularly. A roadside bomb targeted a bus transporting foreign workers of a U.S. company in the western part of Algiers in December 2006. In April 2007 three suicide bombers detonated vehicle-borne explosives outside of government buildings in Algiers. Three more suicide bomb attacks in July and September 2007 in Lakhdaria, Batna and Dellys killed more than 80 people. "The Department of State recommends that U.S. citizens avoid overland travel in the mountainous northern part of the country, and particularly in the area stretching from Algiers east to the Tunisian border. "The U.S. Government considers the potential threat to U.S. Embassy personnel assigned to Algiers sufficiently serious to require them to live and work under strict security restrictions. These practices limit, and may occasionally prevent, the movement of U.S. Embassy officials in certain areas of the country. The Government of Algeria requires U.S. Embassy personnel traveling outside the province of Algiers or to the Casbah within Algiers to seek permission and to have a security escort. Travel to the military zone established around the Hassi Messaoud oil center requires Government of Algeria authorization. U.S. Government personnel are permitted by the Embassy to move freely in many areas in the center of Algiers, but are required to maintain prudent security practices. Travel by personnel to areas of the city outside this zone requires prior coordination with the Embassy's Regional Security Office. American visitors are encouraged to contact the Embassy's Consular Section for the most recent safety and security information concerning travel in the city of Algiers. "The Department of State cautions Americans who reside or travel in Algeria to take prudent security measures while in the country, including making provisions for reliable and experienced logistical support. This support should include being met upon arrival and accompanied for the duration of the visit. Visitors should ensure that tour operators and host organizations perform all notifications and coordination with Algerian police and security officials during their stay. Visitors to Algeria are advised to stay only in hotels where adequate security is provided. All visitors to Algeria should remain alert and adhere to prudent security practices such as avoiding predicable travel patterns and maintaining a low profile."

 

Jordan - On September 18 the U.S. Embassy in Amman issued the following Warden Message: "The Embassy recently received a report of a violent sexual assault against an American citizen in a taxi in west Amman. During afternoon hours, the victim got into a taxi cab in a commercial area of west Amman. The taxi driver then drove the victim to an isolated location where he assaulted her. We are sharing this information with the American community in order to improve security awareness. "Generally speaking, crime in Amman is considered to be low and violent crimes against Americans are extremely rare. However, the Embassy does receive occasional reports of sexual harassment, indecent exposure, and unwanted touching of western women in Jordan. Marked “yellow cabs” are generally considered to be safe, but some of these incidents, as in this case, have involved taxis. Please check the Embassy website for a list of radio taxis that vet their drivers."

 

Kuwait - On September 19, the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait City issued the following Warden Message: "Recently US military contractors in Kuwait received offers by individuals claiming they can obtain an employment visa and residency permit for Dakar, Senegal. These offers appear to be scams. One person paid a large fee to an agency called Zenith Travel for a visa and residency permit to work for a company named Calpine Group Limited. This is contrary to normal procedures—Senegalese visas can only be provided directly by the Ministry of Interior, and Americans working in Senegal usually obtain the visa from the Ministry once they are resident there."

 

Syria - On  September 18 the U.S. Department of State issued the following Travel Warning: "This Travel Warning alerts U.S. citizens to the ongoing safety and security concerns in Syria. Travelers are advised to thoroughly consider the risks before travel to Syria and to take adequate precautions to ensure their safety if traveling to Syria. This supersedes the Travel Warning issued on November 13, 2006. "On September 12, 2006, the U.S. Embassy in Damascus was attacked by assailants using improvised explosives, gunfire, and two vehicles laden with explosives. This attack underscores the danger posed by the continued presence of terrorist groups in Syria. The Embassy is working with the Syrian authorities to address these threats and the security issues raised by the attack on the Embassy. While the authorities have taken measures since then to crack down on local extremists, self-contained groups with no links to external terrorist organizations will remain inherently difficult to detect and disrupt. "U.S. citizens who remain in or travel to Syria are encouraged to register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Damascus, and to obtain updated information on travel and security in Syria. Americans in Syria should exercise caution and take prudent measures to maintain their security. These measures include being aware of their surroundings, avoiding crowds and demonstrations, keeping a low profile, varying times and routes for all required travel, and ensuring travel documents are current. "

 

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Previous Updates

September 13, 2007
September 6, 2007
August 30, 2007
August 23, 2007
August 16, 2007
August 9, 2007
August 2, 2007
July 26, 2007
July 20, 2007
July 12, 2007
May 31, 2007
May 17, 2007
May 10, 2007
May 3, 2007
April 27, 2007
April 26, 2007
April 19, 2007
April 12, 2007
April 9, 2007

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