World

US issues travel alert and instructs non-emergency employees to evacuate the Baghdad embassy

In light of recent attacks on American troops and people in the area, the U.S. State Department declared on Sunday that residents of the United States should not travel to Iraq.

The travel warning states, “Do not travel to Iraq due to terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, civil unrest, and Mission Iraq’s limited capacity to provide support to U.S. citizens.”
Since the confrontation between Israel and Hamas terrorists in Gaza began, there has been an increase in attacks against American forces in Iraq and Syria. A U.S. warship downed over a dozen drones and four cruise missiles fired from Yemen by the Houthis, who are backed by Iran, last week.

According to a statement from the State Department, “due to increased security threats against U.S. personnel and interests,” eligible family members and non-emergency U.S. government staff were instructed to leave the U.S. Embassy Baghdad and the U.S. Consulate General Erbil at the time of the advice.

Also read: EAM S Jaishankar explains why India stopped Canadian visas

As regional tensions rise during the Israel-Hamas war, which started after Palestinian Islamist group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing over 1,400 people, Washington is on high alert for activities by groups backed by Iran.

Since then, Israel has responded with lethal airstrikes on Gaza, a 2.3 million-person region that is 45 kilometres (25 miles) long and a portion of the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory. Hamas has controlled Gaza politically since 2006. Palestinian officials claim that approximately 4,700 individuals have died as a result of Israeli airstrikes.

Also read: EAM S Jaishankar explains why India stopped Canadian visas

The State Department warned on Sunday that “U.S. government personnel in Baghdad are instructed not to use Baghdad International Airport due to security concerns.”
In recent weeks, the US has dispatched a sizable contingent of its armed forces to the Middle East, comprising some 2,000 Marines, two aircraft carriers, and their support vessels.
According to the Pentagon on Saturday, the United States will dispatch more Patriot air defence missile system battalions as well as a Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system to the Middle East.

Srushti Sharma

Recent Posts

‘In Kabul, A Cat Has More Freedom Than A Woman’: Revisiting Women’s Struggles Under The Taliban

The Taliban’s regime has since imposed over 100 laws restricting women's rights, stripping them of…

9 hours ago

PM Modi’s Gifts: A Glimpse Of India’s Cultural Heritage In Global Diplomacy

These gifts to world leaders reflect the diverse traditions, arts, and crafts of India, emphasizing…

12 hours ago

Dr Rajeshwar Singh Calls For Bold Goals To Make India A Global Power By 2047

Dr Singh stressed the importance of reaching a GDP of $15 trillion by 2047 to…

13 hours ago

Gautam Adani Faces Indictment In US: Legal Expert Vijay Aggarwal Dismisses Immediate Repercussions

Criminal lawyer Vijay Aggarwal weighed in on the charges against Adani. He believes the indictment…

13 hours ago

Adani Group Stocks Recover As Sensex nd Nifty Post Gains

After a major sell-off earlier in the week, Adani Group stocks, led by Ambuja Cements…

14 hours ago

Sensex Soars 1,961 Points, Nifty Gains 557 In Broad-Based Market Rally

A sharp rally in financial stocks and encouraging US labor market data fueled the uptrend.…

14 hours ago