January 10, 2016
U.S. Embassy Kabul
Emergency Message for U.S. Citizens
January 10, 2016
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has received reports that as of early January 2016 an unspecified group of militants plan to kidnap an unidentified American and unidentified Europeans who are employees of an unidentified non-governmental organization (NGO) in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. The employees reportedly travel from Kabul City, Kabul Province, Afghanistan, to Nangarhar Province at unspecified intervals and possibly serve in an advisory role to the NGO. There is no further information regarding the timing, target, location, or method of any planned kidnappings.
As a reminder, in accordance with the Travel Warning for Afghanistan, the Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to Afghanistan. The security situation in Afghanistan is extremely unstable, and the threat to all U.S. citizens in Afghanistan remains critical. U.S. citizens currently visiting or residing in Afghanistan may wish to consider departing. The Embassy strongly urges U.S. citizens who decide to remain in Afghanistan to review your personal security plans, take appropriate steps to enhance your personal safety, remain aware of your surroundings, monitor local media for updates, and maintain a high level of vigilance.
For further information:
- See the State Department’s travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warning for Afghanistan, Travel Alerts, andAfghanistan Country Specific Information.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Contact the U.S. Embassy, which is located at Great Massoud Road between Radio Afghanistan and the Ministry of Public Health in Kabul. To reach the American Citizen Services (ACS) unit of the Consular Section during business hours, please call 0700-108-499 or send an email toKabulACS@state.gov. You can also reach the ACS unit through the Embassy’s switchboard by calling 0700-108-001/002. For after-hours emergencies involving U.S. citizens, please call the Consular Duty Officer at 0700-10-8001.
- Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
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