US suspends visa services in Turkey after reports on potential attacks
The United States has temporarily suspended all visa services at its missions across Turkey over what it claimed to be credible reports of potential terrorist attacks and kidnappings against American citizens in the country.
The US embassy in the Turkish capital, Ankara, said in a statement on its website Friday that consular services would be suspended at the embassy as well as consulates in Istanbul, the southern city of Adana and the Aegean coastal city of Izmir.
"The US mission in Turkey has received credible reports of potential terrorist attacks and kidnappings against US citizens and foreign nationals in Istanbul, including against the US Consulate General, as well as potentially other locations in Turkey," the embassy said.
The diplomatic mission also advised US citizens "to exercise heightened caution in locations where Americans or foreigners may gather, including large office buildings or shopping malls.”
A US embassy spokesperson said the statement was issued after an ongoing assessment of security conditions in Turkey.
Back in 2013, a bomber blew himself up at the US embassy in Ankara, killing himself and a Turkish security guard.
In 2016, the US government ordered all civilian relatives of its Istanbul consulate staff to leave Turkey because of increasing threats from terrorist groups.
Turkey was hit by a series of attacks in 2015 and 2016 by several terrorist outfits, including the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group.
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