The US has issued a worldwide travel alert over an unspecified al-Qaeda threat, while the UK authorities have specifically advised against all travel to Yemen.
In its statement, the US state department said that the potential for an attack was particularly strong in the Middle East and North Africa. The travel alert, which advises US citizens to be vigilant, expires on August 31.
The travel alert comes soon after the US said that 19 of its embassies in North Africa and the Middle East, including in Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh, would remain closed until Saturday. ‘Current information suggests al-Qa’ida and affiliated organisations continue to plan terrorist attacks both in the region and beyond, and that they may focus efforts to conduct attacks in the period between now and the end of August,’ it said.
Meanwhile, the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised against all travel to Yemen and has strongly urged British nationals to leave immediately.
The FCO said that the closure of the British embassy in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, has been extended until the end of the Muslim festival of Eid (Ramadan) later this week. The mission was to reopen on Tuesday after a two-day closure over concerns a terrorist attack.
‘Due to continuing security concerns, the British embassy in Yemen will remain closed until the end of Eid,’ an FCO spokeswoman said.
Eid, which begins on Wednesday evening, marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and UK officials had advised particular vigilance saying, ‘tensions could be heightened. There is a high threat from terrorism throughout Yemen and a very high threat of kidnap from armed tribes, criminals and terrorists.
‘If you don’t leave the country now while commercial carriers are still flying it is extremely unlikely that the British government will be able to evacuate you or provide consular assistance,’ the FCO advisory added.
