The U.S. government has ordered family members of its Istanbul consulate workers to leave Turkey over security concerns.
A travel warning issued by the State Department on Saturday says the decision is based on security information that indicates extremist groups are continuing aggressive efforts to attack U.S. citizens in Istanbul.
The Consulate General remains open and fully staffed and the order applies only to the post in Istanbul, not others in Turkey.
The warning is an update to one issued last week of increased threats from terrorist groups in Turkey. U.S. citizens were told to avoid travel to the southeast part of the country and to consider travel risks.
According to the State Department, international and indigenous terrorist organizations in Turkey are targeting U.S. and other foreign tourists.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- What's the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Mahita Gajanan at mahita.gajanan@time.com