The U.S. State Department has updated its travel warning for Syria, a war-torn country that’s long been on the “do not travel list.”
The warning was updated March 3 to reflect a risk of unjust detention related to the Syrian conflict. The latest alert cites the risk of terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, hostage taking, armed conflict and the risk of being jailed without cause.
“The U.S. government is unable to provide any routine or emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Syria,” the State Department noted. “Do not travel to Syria for any reason. No parts of Syria is safe from violence.”
The warning particularly extends to private U.S. citizens who are considering traveling to Syria to engage in armed conflict.
“The U.S. government does not support this activity. U.S. citizens who undertake such activity face extreme personal risks, including hostage taking by armed groups, unjust detentions, injury, or death,” the alert noted.
Syria is among the countries under the Level 4: Do Not Travel category, the highest warning issued by the State Department due to violence, terrorism and other dangers.
On the Level 4: Do Not Travel list are:
- Afghanistan
- Belarus
- Burkina Faso
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Central African Republic
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Haiti
- Iran
- Iraq
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Mali
- North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea)
- Russia
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Syria
- Ukraine
- Venezuela
- Yemen