4 Countries Added to 'Do Not Travel' List in July
The United States Department of State added four countries to its travel advisories list with its strongest warning urging travelers not to visit under any circumstances.
It's travel advisory exists with four different levels ranging from Level 1 "exercise normal precautions" to its Level 4 "do not travel." As of July 18 there are 21 nations on the "do not travel list" after four were added during the first two and a half weeks of the month.
Starting on July 3 the Department of State offered a "do not travel" warning for Lebanon amid "crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, unexploded landmines, and the risk of armed conflict" with some areas, especially near the borders, carrying increased risks.
"U.S. citizens in Lebanon should be aware that consular officers from the U.S. Embassy are not always able to travel to assist them. The Department of State considers the threat to U.S. government personnel in Beirut serious enough to require them to live and work under strict security," a warning from the Department of State read.
The United States when nearly two weeks without adding another country to the "do not travel" list, but that came to an abrupt end on July 15 as Haiti started a run of three straight days with a country being added to the list. U.S. citizens were urged not to travel to Haiti, which has been under state of emergency since March 2024, due to kidnapping, crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest, and limited health care.
On July 16 the Department of State updated its "do not travel" warning for Libya due to crime, terrorism, unexploded landmines, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed conflict. "Terrorist attacks could occur with little or no warning, targeting public spaces like tourist locations, hotels, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and government facilities," the warning read.
Just a day later, the "do not travel" warning for Iraq also received an update to reflect the lifting of ordered departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel.
"Do not travel to Iraq due to terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, civil unrest, and the U.S. government’s limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Iraq. Do not travel to Iraq for any reason," the warning said.
In total the United States has added nine countries to its list of travel warnings in the month of July.
Related: Andy Byron Statement Floating Around Social Media Is Duping Everyone