U.S. Urges Its Citizens to Leave Syria Amid Heightened Security Threats
According to US embassy in Damascus, U.S. citizens in Syria face multiple threats, including terrorism, unrest, arbitrary detentions, kidnappings, and armed conflicts.
By Ahora Qadi
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The U.S. Embassy in Damascus on Saturday issued an urgent advisory, calling on all American citizens to leave Syria immediately due to an increased risk of attacks during Eid al-Fitr a significant Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting.
In a statement published on its official website, the embassy warned that the U.S. State Department had raised the travel advisory for Syria to Level 4 – "Do Not Travel" – citing heightened threats targeting diplomatic missions, international organizations, and public institutions in Damascus. The advisory highlighted the potential use of firearms, explosives, and bombings in the upcoming attacks.
Diplomatic Services Remain Suspended
The U.S. Embassy reiterated that American diplomatic services in Syria have been suspended since 2012, meaning it cannot provide routine consular assistance to U.S. nationals currently in the country.
The embassy urged American citizens requiring urgent assistance to contact the U.S. Interests Section at the Czech Embassy in Damascus, which serves as the primary liaison for U.S. affairs in Syria.
According to the embassy, U.S. citizens in Syria face multiple threats, including terrorism, unrest, arbitrary detentions, kidnappings, and armed conflicts. The advisory follows a series of escalating security warnings regarding potential attacks on foreign diplomatic facilities in the country.
History of U.S. Citizens Targeted in Syria
The latest U.S. advisory comes amid a long history of American nationals being targeted in Syria, particularly by extremist groups such as ISIS. Several high-profile kidnappings of American citizens have taken place in the past decade, underscoring the persistent dangers for Westerners in the region.
According to The New York Times, James Wright Foley, a freelance journalist, was abducted in 2012 and executed in 2014, with ISIS releasing a gruesome propaganda video of his beheading.
CNN reported that Steven Joel Sotloff, another journalist, was kidnapped in 2013 and executed a month after Foley, in a similar propaganda stunt aimed at terrorizing global audiences.
As per BBC News, Peter Edward Kassig, a humanitarian worker and former U.S. Army Ranger, was taken hostage in 2013 and later executed by ISIS in November 2014.
According to The Guardian, Kayla Jean Mueller, an aid worker, was kidnapped in 2013 and held captive until her confirmed death in 2015. Reports later emerged that she had been subjected to repeated sexual violence by ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi before her death.
With Syria remaining a volatile battleground for extremist factions, government forces, and foreign actors, the U.S. government has repeatedly warned that kidnappings, attacks, it cannot guarantee the safety of its citizens in Syria and has strongly advised against any travel to the region.
