US Advises Citizens in Syria to Leave

The US embassy in Damascus is advising Americans to leave Syria, saying the security situation there continues to be volatile and unpredictable with armed conflict and “terrorism throughout the country.”

The embassy, which has been closed since 2012, posts a statement on X, warning US citizens who are unable to leave the country to prepare “contingency plans for emergency situations.” It doesn’t give further details.

The statement also says the US government is unable to provide any routine or emergency consular services to US citizens and those who need “emergency assistance to depart should contact the U.S. Embassy in the country they plan to enter.”

Sleeper cells of the Islamic State group have claimed responsibility for deadly attacks over the past months in different parts of Syria. Despite their defeat in March 2019, the extremists still pose a threat in the war-torn country.