The United States Department of State has placed 23 countries under its highest travel advisory, Level 4: Do Not Travel, warning American citizens against visiting the affected destinations due to security risks.
The countries include Afghanistan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Burma, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Niger, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Uganda, Ukraine and Yemen.
The department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs announced the advisory in a post on its official Facebook page on Monday, explaining that the classifications were based on security conditions in the affected countries and the US government’s limited ability to provide assistance to its citizens there.
The department said Level 4 advisories are issued for destinations where local conditions pose serious risks to travellers or where the US government has limited capacity to assist Americans in emergencies.
The US uses a four-level travel advisory system to inform citizens about potential risks in different destinations.
Level 1 advises travellers to exercise normal precautions, while Level 2 recommends increased caution. Level 3 urges Americans to reconsider travel, while Level 4 is the highest warning and advises against all travel to the affected destinations.
The department urged Americans to consult its travel advisory website for country-specific security information and guidance before making travel plans.