AP News, July 6th, 2007
Some nations where American foreign service officers are subject to security restrictions imposed by the State Department.
_ Afghanistan: U.S. officials posted to the embassy in Kabul are not permitted to have family members reside in Afghanistan, according to an April travel warning. It adds, "From time to time, depending on current security conditions, the U.S. Embassy places areas frequented by foreigners off limits to its personnel."
_ Algeria: "The U.S. Government considers the potential threat to U.S. Embassy personnel assigned to Algiers sufficiently serious to require them to live and work under strict security restrictions," the department says in a March notice. "These practices limit, and may occasionally prevent, the movement of U.S. Embassy officials in certain areas of the country."
_ Indonesia: "The U.S. mission in Indonesia restricts U.S. government employees' travel to certain areas of the country and, at times, denies them permission to travel to specific locations. As of early 2007, employee travel to the provinces of Aceh, Papua, Central and South Sulawesi, and Maluku requires the concurrence of the Embassy's Regional Security Officer."
_ Iraq: "As a result of the recent increase of indirect fire attacks on the International Zone, outdoor movement is restricted to a minimum," the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said in May. "Remain within a hardened structure to the maximum extent possible and strictly avoid congregating outdoors. For all individuals whose place of duty is outside a hardened structure or traveling a substantial distance outdoors, personal protective equipment is mandatory until further notice."
_ Israel: "American citizens should take into consideration that discos and nightclubs, as well as public buses, trains and their respective terminals are off-limits to U.S. government personnel. The Old City of Jerusalem is off-limits to U.S. Government personnel and their family members after dark during the entire week and between the hours of 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Fridays."
_ Lebanon: "The Department of State considers the threat to U.S. government personnel in Beirut sufficiently serious to require them to live and work under strict security restrictions," says a June notice. "These practices limit, and may occasionally prevent, access by U.S. Embassy officials to certain areas of the country. Unofficial travel to Lebanon by U.S. government employees and their family members requires prior approval by the Department of State."
_ Pakistan: "The Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens against non-essential travel to Pakistan in light of the threat of terrorist activity. Family members of official Americans assigned to the embassy in Islamabad and to the three consulates in Pakistan were ordered to leave the country in March 2002 and have not been allowed to return. Official Americans may be prohibited from traveling to certain areas of Pakistan due to security concerns."
_ The Palestinian territories: "For safety and security reasons, U.S. government American personnel and dependents are prohibited from traveling to any cities, towns or settlements in the West Bank, except for mission-essential business or other approved purposes. ... Travel to the Gaza Strip by U.S. government personnel is prohibited."
_ The Philippines: An April travel warning said, "U.S. government employees must seek special permission for travel to Mindanao or the Sulu Archipelago. When traveling in Mindanao, U.S. official travelers attempt to lower their profile, limit their length of stay and exercise extreme caution."
_ Yemen: "The U.S. Embassy itself often restricts travel of official personnel to the tribal areas north and east of Sana'a, such as the governorates of Amran, Al Jawf, Hajja, Marib, Saada, and Shabwa," the State Department said in April. This week, after an attack at a tourist site, the embassy banned all travel outside the capital and restricted in-city movements.
