State Dept. Travel Warnings and Public Announcements

For the full announcements or further detail on Travel Warnings and Public Announcements, please see http://http://travel.state.gov/travel

Haiti - On January 13 the U.S. Department of State issued the following Travel Warning for Haiti: "The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the situation in Haiti and urges them to avoid travel to Haiti in the aftermath of a powerful earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12. An earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck near Port Au Prince, followed by multiple aftershocks. The U.S. Embassy is working to ascertain the extent of the damage and check on the status of U.S. citizens around the island. This Travel Alert expires on March 13, 2010. "There are reports of extensive damage, and communications remain extremely difficult. Additional aftershocks remain a possibility. A Tsunami Watch for Haiti and neighboring islands issued by the Pacific Tsunami Alert Center has expired.

"U.S. citizens in Haiti should remain in shelter. If exposed when an aftershock hits, take steps to avoid falling debris by getting to as open a space as possible, away from walls, windows, buildings and other structures. If indoors, take shelter under a heavy table or desk, or in a doorway. Avoid damaged buildings, and obey all instructions from local authorities. Do not use matches, lighters, candles or other flame in case of disrupted gas lines. Avoid downed power lines.

"If possible, U.S. citizens in Haiti should contact friends and relatives outside of Haiti to inform them of their welfare. "The U.S. Embassy in Port Au Prince has set up a task force at the Embassy which is taking calls as conditions permit. The Embassy is working to identify U.S. citizens in Haiti who need urgent assistance and to identify sources of emergency help.

"U.S. citizens are urged to contact the Embassy via email to request assistance. U.S. citizens in Haiti can call the Embassy's Consular Task Force at 509-2229-8942, 509-2229-8089, 509-2229-8322, or 509-2229-8672. The State Department has also created a task force to monitor the emergency. People in the U.S. or Canada with information or inquiries about U.S. citizens in Haiti may reach the Haiti Task Force at 888-407-4747. Outside of the U.S. and Canada, call 202-501-4444. For further information and updates, please see the State Department's Consular Affairs website."

Macedonia - On January 12 the U.S. Embassy in Skopje issued the following Warden Message, which reads in part: "The U.S. Embassy has received information from the local police that there have been a number of recent residential break-ins in the Karpos and Taftalidze neighborhoods in Skopje. Police believe the crimes have been carried out by nonprofessional groups of petty criminals. Police stated that the perpetrators have targeted upscale houses, entering the homes via unlocked doors or windows, or by breaking windows. The criminals have selectively targeted money, gold and other small items of value which are left unsecured inside the home. To date, the houses have been unoccupied at the time of the break-ins, leading police to believe there may have been some level of surveillance. The break-ins have occurred mainly between 8pm and 10pm.

"As a reminder, you should keep your doors locked, even when family members are at home, and windows should be secured if no one is in that part of the house. Windows accessible from ground level or easily accessible balconies should be secured at night to prevent entry. When your home is unoccupied you should consider leaving some indoor and/or outdoor lights on and using timers on some of your lights (they are readily available in local stores). Avoid leaving items of value in plain sight or unsecured (for example, jewelry, cash, electronic equipment or other expensive items). Avoid leaving bicycles or other items of value in your yard unsecured. Please be aware of your surroundings and report any suspicious persons or activities in or around your neighborhoods to the local police.

"The police have enhanced their patrols (both uniformed and unmarked units) in the areas of Karpos, Taftalidze (1, 2, 3), Vlae, and Bardovci neighborhoods in Skopje."

Montenegro - On January 12 the U.S. Embassy in Podgorica issued the following Warden Message: "Over the past weekend, water levels of the Bojana River, the River Crnojevica and Skadar Lake, rose to significant levels, causing extensive flooding in the municipalities of Podgorica, Cetinje, Ulcinj, and Bar. Water levels continue to rise, and the press reports that more than 300 houses and other structures are already flooded. The government of Montenegro is preparing for the possibility that residents will be evacuated; the military has been delivering food to the some of the threatened families by boat and city officials in Podgorica have also announced the availability of emergency financial aid for flooded areas. "The U.S. Embassy in Podgorica encourages all U.S. citizens in the affected region to monitor the news for announcements of road closures and evacuations, and to exercise extreme caution. Travel into the affect areas should be avoided if possible."

Pakistan - - On January 7 the U.S. Department of State updated its Travel Warning for Pakistan to read as follows: "The State Department warns U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Pakistan. This Travel Warning replaces the Travel Warning dated June 12, 2009, updates information on security incidents and reminds U.S. citizens of ongoing security concerns in Pakistan.

"Pakistani military forces have engaged in a campaign against violent extremist elements across many areas of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and parts of the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). Terrorists blame the Pakistani and the U.S. governments for the military pressure on their traditional havens and the death of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader- Baitullah Mehsud- in NWFP in August 2009. In response, militants are seeking to increase their attacks on civilian, government, and foreign targets in Pakistan's cities.

"The presence of Al-Qaida, Taliban elements, and indigenous militant sectarian groups poses a potential danger to American citizens throughout Pakistan, especially in the western border regions of the country. Flare-ups of tensions and violence in the many areas of the world also increase the possibility of violence against Westerners. Terrorists and their sympathizers regularly attack civilian, government, and foreign targets, particularly in the NWFP. The Government of Pakistan has heightened security measures, particularly in the major cities. Threat reporting indicates terrorist groups continue to seek opportunities to attack locations where Americans and Westerners are known to congregate or visit, such as shopping areas, hotels, clubs and restaurants, places of worship, schools, or outdoor recreation events. In recent incidents, terrorists have disguised themselves as Pakistani security forces personnel to gain access to targeted areas. Some media reports have recently falsely identified U.S. diplomats - and to a lesser extent U.S. journalists and NGO workers - as being intelligence operatives or private security personnel.

"Visits by U.S. government personnel to Peshawar and Karachi are limited, and movements by U.S. government personnel assigned to the Consulates General in those cities are severely restricted. American officials in Lahore and Islamabad are instructed to restrict the frequency and to minimize the duration of trips to public markets, restaurants, and other locations. Only a limited number of official visitors are placed in hotels, and for limited stays. Depending on ongoing security assessments, the U.S. Embassy places areas such as hotels, markets, and/or restaurants off limits to official personnel. American citizens in Pakistan are strongly urged to avoid hotels that do not apply stringent security measures and to maintain good situational awareness, particularly when visiting locations frequented by Westerners.

"Since October 2009, terrorists have executed coordinated attacks with multiple operatives using portable weaponry such as guns, grenades, RPGs, and suicide vests or car bombs in Peshawar, Lahore and Rawalpindi. Recent attacks included armed assaults on heavily-guarded sites such as the Pakistani Army headquarters in Rawalpindi, the United Nations World Food Program's office in Islamabad, police training complexes in Lahore; targeted assassinations, including attacks on Pakistani military officers and politicians in Islamabad, as well as an Iranian diplomat in Peshawar; and suicide bomb attacks in public areas, such as an Islamabad university, a Rawalpindi mosque, and major marketplaces in Lahore and Peshawar.

"Americans have been victims in such attacks. The October 2009 attack on the World Food Program headquarters resulted in the serious injury of an American citizen. On November 12, 2008, a U.S. government contractor and his driver in Peshawar were shot and killed in their car. In September 2008, over 50 people, including three Americans, were killed and hundreds were injured when a suicide bomber set off a truck filled with explosives outside a major international hotel in Islamabad. In August 2008, gunmen stopped and shot at the vehicle of an American diplomat in Peshawar. In March 2008, a restaurant frequented by Westerners in Islamabad was bombed, killing one patron and seriously injuring several others, including four American diplomats. On March 2, 2006, an American diplomat, a Consulate employee, and three others were killed when a suicide bomber detonated a car packed with explosives alongside the U.S. Consulate General in Karachi. Fifty-two others were wounded.

"Since 2007, several American citizens throughout Pakistan have been kidnapped for ransom or for personal reasons. Kidnappings of foreigners are particularly common in the NWFP and Balochistan. In 2008, one Iranian and two Afghan diplomats, two Chinese engineers, and a Polish engineer were kidnapped in NWFP. In February 2009, an American UNHCR official was kidnapped in Balochistan. Kidnappings of Pakistanis also increased dramatically across the country, usually for ransom.

"According to the Department of State's 2008 Human Rights Report for Pakistan, there were over 200 terrorist attacks, including more than 65 suicide bombings, which killed an estimated 970 civilians and security personnel. Some of the attacks have occurred outside major hotels, in market areas and other locations frequented by Americans. Other targets have included restaurants, Pakistani government officials and buildings, police and security forces, mosques, diplomatic missions and international NGOs. Since late 2007, occasional rockets have targeted areas in and around Peshawar.

"Access to many areas of Pakistan, including the FATA along the Afghan border, and the area adjacent to the Line of Control (LOC) in the disputed territory of Kashmir, is restricted by local government authorities for non-Pakistanis. Travel to any restricted region requires official permission by the Government of Pakistan. Failure to obtain such permission in advance can result in arrest and detention by Pakistani authorities. Due to security concerns the U.S. Government currently allows only essential travel within the FATA by American officials. Travel to much of NWFP and Balochistan is also restricted.

"Rallies, demonstrations, and processions occur regularly throughout Pakistan on very short notice. The December 2007 death of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, a clash between two groups of lawyers in April 2008, ethnic clashes in December 2008, and the bombing of a religious procession in December 2009, each triggered widespread rioting in Karachi. Multiple deaths and injuries as well as widespread property damage occurred on each occasion. Demonstrations have often taken on an anti-American or anti-Western character, and Americans are urged to avoid large gatherings. ..."

Sudan - On January 8 the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum issued the following Warden Message: "This Warden Message alerts American citizens in Sudan to a potential threat against commercial aviation transiting between Juba, Sudan and Kampala, Uganda. The U.S. Embassy has received information indicating a desire by regional extremists to conduct a deadly attack onboard Air Uganda aircraft on this route. While the capacity of these extremists to carry out such an attack is unknown, the threat is of sufficient seriousness that all American air travelers should be made aware. Air travelers on any airline and route should maintain vigilance at all times, and should report any suspicious behavior to the proper authorities.

"The Department of State continues to warn against all travel to Sudan, particularly in the Darfur area, where violence involving government forces, rebel factions, and various armed militias continues. American citizens who choose to travel to Sudan despite the existing Travel Warning, and those currently in Sudan, should review their security posture and take appropriate precautions. Americans living or traveling in Sudan are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate through the Department of State's Travel Registration website (http://travel.state.gov ) so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Sudan. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the embassy or consulate to contact them in case of emergency."