US Issues Travel Warning for Iraq Due to Attacks on US Personnel, 22 OCT

 US Issues Travel Warning for Iraq Due to Attacks on US Personnel, 22 OCT

An Advisory Amidst Rising Conflict

In the recent light of events, the U.S. State Department has issued an advisory cautioning U.S. citizens to refrain from traveling to Iraq. The advisory is a call for precaution amidst growing incidents of violence in the region, primarily encompassing threats of terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflicts and civil unrest. The advisory 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.”

Indeed, the past few months have seen a surge in hostile activities against U.S. forces stationed in Iraq and Syria. The escalation in conflicts arrived in tandem with the surfacing strife between Israel and the Hamas militants in Gaza. Recent highlights include an incident where a U.S war vessel intercepted over a dozen drones and several cruise missiles fired by Iranian-backed Houthi militias from Yemen.

Alert for Personnel and State Activities

Furthermore, the advisory has reinforced the plea for U.S government affiliates like non-emergency personnel and eligible family members based in the U.S embassy in Baghdad and the U.S consulate General Erbil to depart the premises. This action is grounded in the context of proliferating security threats against U.S. personnel and interests.

The war and its associated tensions, primarily between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist faction Hamas, have caused regional tensions to skyrocket. The war induced by Hamas’ violent actions against Israel has resulted in devastating consequences, including the loss of over 1,400 lives. In retaliation, Israel has launched numerous lethal airstrikes on Gaza, bringing the death toll to over 4,700, as per Palestinian official reports.

Emerging security challenges are an essential factor for the State Department’s advisory, as U.S. government personnel stationed in Baghdad are strictly advised against using Baghdad International Airport. The reason lies in the scope of threat that the region currently represents.

US Military Reinforcements

Given growing security concerns, the United States has escalated its naval power dispatched to the Middle East. Recent reinforcements include two aircraft carriers, their ancillary support ships as well as approximately 2,000 Marines. In addition to the naval force, a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, along with supplementary patriot air defense missile system battalions, is slated to be deployed to the Middle East, as confirmed by the Pentagon.

https://bnn.network/world/us/us-issues-travel-warning-for-iraq-due-to-attacks-on-us-personnel/