U.S. Issues 'Serious' Travel Warnings for Two Countries
It's spring break season for many school districts across the country, which means it's prime travel time for many households in the United States.
However, as travel picks up across the country, the United States government has issued serious travel warnings for two countries. The warnings range from Level 3, which is a "reconsider travel" warning, to a Level 4, which is a strict "do not travel" warning.
The U.S. Department of State updated the travel warnings on Wednesday, April 16 and Thursday, April 17, according to the list on the travel.state.gov website.
The U.S. State Department issued a Level 3 "reconsider travel" warning for Colombia on Thursday, April 17.
Colombia can often be a popular travel destination for American citizens, especially for bachelor parties.
The U.S. State Department issued the warning due to "crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping." The alert also outlined specific areas that you should avoid.
Do Not Travel to:
- Arauca, Cauca (excluding Popayán), and Norte de Santander departments due to crime and terrorism.
- The Colombia-Venezuela border region due to crime, kidnapping, conflict between armed groups, and the risk of detention.
The U.S. State Department also issued a Level 4 "do not travel" warning for Burkina Faso, a country in West Africa. The alert was issued due to "terrorism, crime, and kidnapping."
According to the warning, "terrorist organizations continue to plan and conduct terrorist activities throughout Burkina Faso."
The attacks can happen anywhere, but you should be on specific alert in places like:
- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Police stations
- Customs offices
- Areas at or near mining sites
- Places of worship
- Military posts
- Schools
"Terrorists may attack anywhere with little or no warning and may utilize various tactics including the use of common, commercially available items or the use of kidnapping for ransom," the State Department says.
"The threat of kidnapping remains persistent throughout Burkina Faso, including in Ouagadougou and especially in the Sahel and East regions."
You can view the full list of updated travel warnings here.