The U.S. Embassy in Kabul warned U.S. citizens today that “extremist organizations continue to plan attacks against a variety of targets in Afghanistan, including a heightened risk of attacks targeting female government and civilian workers, including teachers, human rights activists, office workers, and government employees.”
The State Department’s travel advisory for Afghanistan is level four – do not travel.
That advisory was updated days after Fawzia Koofi, an Afghan politician and outspoken critic of the Taliban, was shot in the arm in an attack near Kabul.
“Travel to all areas of Afghanistan is unsafe because of critical levels of kidnappings, hostage taking, suicide bombings, widespread military combat operations, landmines, and terrorist and insurgent attacks, including attacks using vehicle-borne, magnetic, or other improvised explosive devices (IEDs), suicide vests, and grenades,” the State Department said. “Terrorist and insurgent groups continue planning and executing attacks in Afghanistan. These attacks occur with little or no warning, and have targeted official Afghan and U.S. government convoys and facilities, local government buildings, foreign embassies, military installations, commercial entities, non-governmental organization (NGO) offices, hospitals, residential compounds, tourist locations, transportation hubs, public gatherings, markets and shopping areas, places of worship, restaurants, hotels, universities, airports, schools, gymnasiums, and other locations frequented by U.S. citizens and other foreign nationals.”
The message issued by the U.S. Embassy in Kabul advises citizens to review personal security plans and carry a communication device, notify a trusted person of travel and movement plans, avoid large crowds, gatherings, and demonstrations, be aware of surroundings and local security developments, and monitor local media and news for updates.
