U.S. embassy in Turkey temporarily closes due to security threat

A view from the United State Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, on October 9, 2017. On Sunday. Embassy officials said the building will be closed to the general public March 5 due to a security threat. File Photo by Tumay Berkin/EPA-EFE

March 5 (UPI) — The U.S. embassy in Turkey will be closed Monday due to an unspecified security threat, officials said.

Embassy officials said the building in Ankara will be closed to the general public and “only emergency services will be provided,” the announcement said.

The announcement also advises Americans in Turkey to “avoid large crowds; avoid the Embassy; heighten your personal security posture and awareness if you choose to visit popular tourist sites, shopping malls, shopping districts, and sports and entertainment venues; notify family and friends of your safety; monitor local media for updates; keep a low profile.”

The U.S. embassy in Turkey has been attacked before. In 2013, a suicide bomber attacked conducted an attack, killing himself and a Turkish security guard.

Sunday’s announcement comes less than two weeks after an assailant attempted to throw a grenade into the U.S. embassy building area in Montenegro. But the attacker only killed himself.

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