US updates warning over Turkey travel amid rising political tensions

Turkey announced it would purchase Russia’s missile system

The US Department of State on Thursday updated its travel advisory for Turkey amid stalled US-Turkey talks on Syria and growing differences over Venezuela and Turkish S-400 deal with Russia.

Turkey announced Thursday it would be going ahead with a purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile system, ahead of an informal Friday deadline to respond to a rival US offer.

Turkey, a NATO member, made repeated moves to buy the Russian missile defence system, despite warnings from the US-led alliance that the S-400s cannot be integrated into the NATO air defence system.

The State Department upped the advisory to “Level 3”, urging citizens “to reconsider travel the Middle Eastern country due “to terrorism and arbitrary detentions” and to refrain from going to “the Syria and Iraq borders.”

“Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Turkey. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas,” the advisory read.

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