'Leave area of conflict': US issues travel advisory for Pakistan amid drone explosions
India fired attack drones into Pakistan on Thursday which targeted air defense systems in several locations in Pakistan. Amid drone explosions and possible airspace incursions, the US Consulate General in Pakistan's Lahore directed its staff to shelter in place. Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors have soared after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 innocent lives were lost.
India strikes back: Lahore air defence radar neutralized
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US advises citizens to leave Pak
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US Mission in Pak advises citizens
The US Embassy and Consulate in Pakistan has issued a travel advisory for its citizens amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan. The advisory said if US citizens find themselves in a 'area of conflict', they should leave if it is safe to do so. "If they cannot leave safely, they should shelter in place," it read.In a security alert, the Consulate said it has also received initial reports that authorities may be evacuating some areas adjacent to Lahore's main airport.The advisory came after Indian Armed forces foiled attempts by the Pakistani military to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India using drones and missiles last night and destroyed a Pakistani air defence system in Lahore. The military targets were neutralised by the Integrated Counter Unmanned Aircraft System (Grid and Air Defence systems), the defence ministry said."The U.S. Department of State continues to remind U.S. citizens of its standing 'Do Not Travel' advisory against all travel to areas near the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict. The Department's long-standing 'Reconsider Travel' advisory also urges travelers to reconsider travel to Pakistan more broadly," the travel advisory read."The situation between Pakistan and India continues to evolve, and we are closely monitoring developments. The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and Consulates General in Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar remain open for regular business."US Consulate General in Pakistan's Lahore also directed its staff to shelter in place amid drone explosions, downed drones and possible airspace incursions in and around Lahore, the country's State Department said on Thursday. The consulate said it has also received initial reports that authorities may be evacuating some areas adjacent to Lahore's main airport, according to a statement, reported Reuters."Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets ... using drones and missiles," India's defence ministry said in a statement, adding that "these were neutralised" by air defence systems.New Delhi said that areas targeted included sites in Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab state -- including the key cities of Amritsar, Ludhiana, Chandigarh -- as well as Bhuj in Gujarat. "The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations," it added.The defence ministry said that its military had "targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan", saying that the "response has been in the same domain, with the same intensity, as Pakistan".It added that it had been "reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised".India also accused Pakistan of having "increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using mortars and heavy calibre artillery" across the de facto border in Jammu and KashmirIndia also said the number of people who have been killed by Pakistani firing since the escalation of violence on Wednesday had risen to 16, including three women and five children. India added that it remained committed to "non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military".The US Mission in Pakistan on 7 May, Wednesday, issued a security alert advising American citizens to leave areas of active conflict, saying it is 'closely monitoring developments' following Operation Sindoor , launched by India targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan.The security alert, titled 'Military Activity and Closed Airspace', said, 'We are aware of reports of military strikes by India into Pakistan. This remains an evolving situation, and we are closely monitoring developments.'US citizens are reminded of the 'Do Not Travel' advisory for areas in the vicinity of the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict, and the US Department of State's 'Reconsider Travel' advisory for Pakistan generally,' the alert said.'We are also aware that airspace has been closed, and many flights have been cancelled,' it added.Through the alert, the US Embassy and Consulates in Pakistan advised American citizens to 'depart areas of active conflict if they can safely do so, or to shelter in place.'In March, the US State Department issued a travel advisory to reconsider travel to Pakistan 'due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict'.'Do Not Travel to: Balochistan Province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province, which include the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), due to terrorism and to the immediate vicinity of the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict,' the advisory stated.India launched 'Operation Sindoor' targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in a strong response to the terror attack in Pahalgam. The 22 April attack, carried out by the terror organisation The Resistance Front, killed 26 civilians.'India has credible leads, technical inputs, testimony of the survivors and other evidence pointing towards the clear involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists in this attack,' the Indian Embassy in Washington had said in a statement.'India's actions have been focused and precise. They were measured, responsible and designed to be non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani civilian, economic or military targets have been hit. Only known terror camps were targeted,' it had said.It said that US citizens should exercise caution and 'leave the area if you find yourself unexpectedly in the vicinity of military activities, shelter in place if they cannot relocate, review personal security plan, keep a low profile and be aware of surroundings and carry identification and cooperate with authorities.'(With inputs from agencies)
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