The
U.S. State Department issued an updated travel warning for Turkey on Monday,
one day before 41 people were killed and scores injured in an attack at
Ataturk Airport in Istanbul.
The
State Department warning cautioned U.S. citizens about increased threats from
terrorist groups throughout Turkey.
“Foreign
and U.S. tourists have been explicitly targeted by international and indigenous
terrorist organizations,” the warning stated.
It
advised against travel to southeastern Turkey, particularly near the Syrian
border, and also reminded U.S. citizens to stay away from large crowds,
including at popular tourist destinations.
“Exercise
heightened vigilance and caution when visiting public access areas, especially
those heavily frequented by tourists,” the warning stated, adding that visitors
should stay at hotels with identifiable security measures in place.
The
warning replaced the State Department’s previous warning for Turkey from March
29.
Following
the airport attack on Tuesday, the State Department encouraged U.S. citizens in
Turkey to contact concerned family members to advise them of their safety, and
for social media users to update their status online.