April 19, 2016
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has received reports that an attack has taken place across from the Ministry of Defense in District 10, Kabul, approximately 1.2 kilometers southeast of the Embassy, near the Soccer Stadium, at approximately 9:04am. Afghan National Security Forces are securing the area and are currently engaging unknown insurgents in the vicinity with small arms fire. Embassy personnel have been advised to avoid the Ministry of Defense, District 10 until further notice.
As a reminder, in accordance with the Travel Warning for Afghanistan, the Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to Afghanistan. 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 to KabulACS@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).