The Embassy of the United States in Tunis alerts U.S. citizens traveling or residing in Tunisia to the publicly reported closure of Avenue Habib Bourguiba, a main downtown artery, until Monday, September 14 for security reasons. The Ministry of the Interior has also announced a ban on all demonstrations for security reasons, citing threats against ‘sensitive sites’. The Department of State has further been apprised of information that, out of an abundance of caution indicates we should institute precautionary steps. As a result, the Embassy will not offer public services on Friday, September 11; other Embassy business will continue as scheduled. The Embassy will continue to provide emergency American citizen services as needed and resume public operations on Monday, September 14.
The Department, when conditions warrant, takes steps like this to balance our continued public operations with security and safety considerations. However, beyond this announcement, we do not discuss specific threat information, security considerations or measures, or other steps we may be taking. For further information, we refer you to the Worldwide Caution put out by the Department dated July 29 and the current Travel Alert for Tunisia dated August 31.
U.S. citizens are reminded to exercise caution and avoid areas where large gatherings may occur. Even demonstrations or events intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence. U.S. citizens should monitor local events, report suspicious activity to the local police, and take appropriate steps to bolster their own security. The U.S. Embassy reiterates our standing guidance that U.S. citizens in Tunisia should exercise caution when frequenting public venues that are visited by large numbers of foreigners, such as hotels, shopping centers, and tourist sites and restaurants. U.S. citizens should also be alert to the possibility of kidnapping.
Travelers contemplating trips to the interior of the country should assess local conditions and routes when making travel plans. In particular, all travel south of the designated military zone in the south must be coordinated in advance with Tunisian authorities. Also, travel to either border should be avoided if possible given the periodic security incidents along the border regions.
For further information:
- See the State Department’s travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information for Tunisia.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Contact the U.S. Embassy in Tunisia located at North East Zone Berges du Lac, North of Tunis 2045 La Goulette, at +216 71 107 000, 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +216 71 107 000.
- Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada, or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
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