Nov. 25 (UPI) — Officials said Saturday they have “credible and specific information” on a possible terrorist threat against U.S. government facilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital.
The U.S. Embassy in the DRC issued the security alert Saturday for U.S. citizens in the country’s capital city of Kinshasa.
The alert encouraged U.S. citizens in the area to “maintain a heightened level of vigilance and practice good situational awareness.”
It also advised them to review the country page on the embassy’s website, “keep a low profile,” tune into local media for updates and notify family and friends of their safety status.
The State Department had issued a travel advisory on Sept. 19, warning people to reconsider traveling to the DRC due to crime and civil unrest.
“Parts of eastern DRC and the provinces of Kasai Oriental, Kasai Central, and Kasai Occidental are unstable due to armed group activity and military operations,” the State Department warned. “Major outbreaks of violence include the targeting of civilians in these areas.”
The United States has had diplomatic relations with the DRC since 1960, when it became independent from Belgium.
