In fresh alert, US advises citizens against traveling to northwest Pakistan citing security threats
KARACHI: The US Mission in Pakistan this week issued a security alert for its nationals in the country, warning them against traveling to the volatile northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province citing frequent attacks by 'terrorist and insurgent groups.'
Pakistan has recently experienced a significant surge in militant violence, particularly in its western provinces of KP and Balochistan, where groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) have targeted civilians and security forces.
The TTP has frequently targeted security convoys and checkpoints apart from being linked to a rise in targeted killings and abductions of law enforcement personnel and government officials in KP recent months. In March this year, the US declared a Level 4 threat for KP, advising nationals not to travel there.
'Do not travel to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which includes the former FATA [Federally Administered Tribal Areas] for any reason,' a statement from the US Mission, shared by the US embassy and consulates in Pakistan, said.
'Active terrorist and insurgent groups routinely conduct attacks against civilians, non-governmental organizations, government offices, and security services personnel (police and military).'
The alert said these militants have targeted government officials and civilians, with frequent incidents of assassinations and kidnappings, including attacks on polio vaccination teams in the past.
The US Mission urged American government personnel to travel in armored vehicles with armed escorts whether on official or personal trips to northwestern Pakistan.
'Additional restrictions on movements can occur suddenly and at any time, depending on local circumstances and security conditions,' it said.
Pakistan was ranked as the world's second-most affected country by 'terrorism,' according to a global index published by the Australia-based Institute for Economics and Peace, which assessed 163 countries covering 99.7 percent of the global population.
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