The US State Department is warning US citizens in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to be on high alert in case of a “terrorist attack” in the country’s capital. The US embassy in the country’s capital, Kinshasa, will be closed on Monday, November 26 as a precautionary measure.
The State Department issued an alert on Saturday, November 24, writing,
The United States Embassy in Kinshasa has received credible and specific information of a possible terrorist threat against U.S. Government facilities in Kinshasa. The U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa will be closed to the public on Monday November 26th. U.S. citizens in need of emergency services can call 081-556-0151. For future updates please sign up for U.S. Embassy Kinshasa notifications at https://step.state.gov
US Citizens Are Being Asked to ‘Keep a Low Profile’ & Take Extra Safety Precautions
The State Department did not specify which US facilities they believe may be targeted by the possible terrorist threat. The alert issued on Saturday asked all US citizens to “keep a low profile” and “maintain a heightened level of vigilance and practice good situational awareness.”
The State Department has already warned US citizens not to travel to the troubled Democratic Republic of the Congo. On September 19, the State Department issued a travel warning urging US citizens to “reconsider” traveling to the country at all. The warning said, “Reconsider travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) due to crime and civil unrest. Some areas have increased risk.”
US Officials Say ‘Increased Unrest’ Is Expected Throughout the DRC Ahead of National Elections in December
The US State Department issued a terror alert for US citizens living in Kinshasa on Saturday. But on Friday, the US issued a separate alert, warning that there could be “increased unrest” throughout the country in the lead-up to the national elections in December. The warning read, “Please be aware that national elections are scheduled for Sunday, December 23, 2018. Until now, political rallies and crowds have remained mostly peaceful and relatively small, however, the potential for unrest is heightened for the coming weeks. Unrest could occur on short notice.” The State Department suggests that US citizens should avoid large crowds and political demonstrations ahead of the elections.