In an advisory issued for its citizens, the US on Friday asked them to exercise “increased caution” while travelling to India due to “crime and terrorism”. The US also asked its nationals not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir.
The development comes as the US State Department reduced the India Travel Advisory Level to 2 on a scale of one to four, PTI reported.
“Exercise increased caution in India due to crime and terrorism,” the US State Department advisory said.
“Exercise increased caution in India due to crime & terrorism” US travel advisory issued on Oct 05 for its citizens travelling to India pic.twitter.com/RQ23GQJLMS
— ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2022
“Do not travel to: The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (except the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh) due to terrorism and civil unrest. Within 10 km of the India-Pakistan border due to the potential for armed conflict,” it further said.
In its travel advisory, the US said violent crime, such as sexual assault, had occurred at tourist sites and in other locations in India. “Indian authorities report rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India,” it said.
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The advisory said that “terrorists might attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and government facilities”.
“The US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in rural areas from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal as US government employees must obtain special authorisation to travel to these areas,” the advisory further said.
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The US also issued a travel advisory for its citizens travelling to Pakistan. The State Department has urged US citizens to reconsider travel to Pakistan due to terrorism and sectarian violence.
The US State Department urged its citizens not to travel to Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) provinces, including the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
“Reconsider travel to Pakistan due to terrorism and sectarian violence. Some areas have increased risk,” it said, putting the advisory to Level 3.
(With PTI inputs)