The US Department of State issued a message<\/p>\n
on Wednesday warning citizens to consider the risks of traveling to Egypt due to the presence of IS and other militant groups in the country\u2019s northern region. The cautionary statement highlighted the heavy security measures undertaken by the Egyptian government at major tourist sites such as Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada.<\/p>\n
However, it noted that terrorist groups have executed multiple attacks in Egypt, targeting government officials and security forces, public venues, tourist sites, civil aviation and other modes of public transportation and diplomatic facilities. The message also shed light on recent attacks on religious sites, namely, local Coptic churches and people associated with them.<\/p>\n
\u201cTerrorist attacks can occur anywhere in the country, including major metropolitan areas. In early May, ISIS media threatened that places associated with Westerners, Christians, or the Egyptian military and police could be struck at any time,\u201d the US Department of State\u2019s website published.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the official spokesperson of the Egyptian Foreign Affairs Ministry Ahmed Abu Zeid denied on Wednesday that the US government banned its citizens from travelling to Egypt, deeming it a misinterpretation. Abu Zeid said in a telephone interview with privately\u2013run TV channel Sada El Balad that the warning message released by the US Department of State is dedicated to US Mission personnel in Egypt and that the travel prohibition is imposed on them alone.<\/p>\n
\u201cOverland travel is not allowed anywhere in the Sinai Peninsula, but US Mission personnel are permitted to travel to and from Sharm El-Sheikh by air,\u201d the warning message read.<\/p>\n
(Egypt Independent)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The US Department of State issued a message on Wednesday warning citizens to consider the risks of traveling to Egypt due to the presence of IS and other militant groups in the country\u2019s northern region. The cautionary statement highlighted the heavy security measures undertaken by the Egyptian government at major tourist sites such as Sharm […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":23259,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7863],"tags":[14948,2484,14950,14949,8596,14947],"class_list":["post-23258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english-section","tag-citizens","tag-egypt","tag-terrorists-threats","tag-travel-risks","tag-us","tag-warn"],"yoast_head":"\n