Slate of travel advisories for Turkey after attacks, coup

turkey-country

NATIONS worldwide have issued travel alerts to Turkey this week in the wake of a series of terror attacks and a failed military coup in the country.

The US Embassy in Ankara released a statement yesterday that the threat of terrorist activities, whether by firearms, explosives, vehicular assault, or other means, “remains elevated” in Turkey and that westerners have been “explicitly targeted”.

“Attacks in Turkey and other countries may come at any time without advanced warning,” it added.

The US Department of State also earlier this week advised its citizens to avoid travel to Turkey at this point in time in light of the July 15 coup attempt and recent attacks in the region.

“Extremists have targeted large sporting events, theatres, open markets, aviation services, transportation systems, and public venues where people congregate as well as religious sites and high-profile events (throughout Europe),” it warned, adding that southeastern Turkey should be particularly avoided.

Authorities in the UK have also issued updated advisories yesterday, pointing to Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s declaration of a three-month state of emergency in the country as they fight to fully reestablish order post-coup.

As for terrorist threats, the UK government warns that “there is a heightened risk of terrorist attack against the aviation industry in Turkey”, and that the cities of Ankara and Istanbul, as well as the south and eastern parts of the country, are especially at risk.

In Asia, Singapore updated its travel notice to Turkey yesterday due to the many attacks in Ankara and Istanbul that took place since the start of the year.

Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned in a statement: “Singaporeans should reconsider the need for non-essential travel to Ankara and Istanbul at this point in time. Singaporeans are further advised to avoid travel to the border regions between Turkey and Syria due to the unpredictable security situation associated with the ongoing conflict in Syria.”

Singapore also raised a travel notice to Belgium this week due to a significant and probable terrorism threat there.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has downgraded their threat level for travel to Turkey from the highest warning level of red to the second highest level of orange after the attempted coup there was quelled.

Still, the orange alert level indicates that Taiwanese citizens should avoid all unnecessary travel to the European nation.

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