Amid rising concerns over violence and anti-American sentiment, U.S. government has called home all staff that is non-essential from embassies in Tunisia and Sudan. The state department also warned all citizens of the U.S. against traveling to or in the two North African countries because of concerns over their safety.
In Tunisia, the travel warning advised U.S. citizens that Tunis’ international airport was still open and advises them to leave on any available commercial flight. It stated that Americans choosing to stay in the country should follow caution and not go near any demonstrations. Last Friday, protesters scaled the walls of the U.S. Embassy and torched cars, while attacking the building’s entrance and setting a neigboring gym and American school on fire.
The warning for Sudan said that the government of Sudan had taken a number of steps to reduce the activity of terrorists in the country, some of them remained and had threatened to attack U.S. interests. The state department said the level of terrorism was still critical throughout the country and that officials from the U.S. already traveled in vehicles that were armored. On Friday, a section of the Germany Embassy was set afire and people tried to enter the U.S. mission forcibly.
On Saturday, an official from the U.S. said the government of Sudan had not allowed deployment of one of the elite marine teams that was to be sent to Khartoum in able to increase security at the U.S. embassy.
Hillary Clinton, the U.S, Secretary of State spoke to officials from a number of countries about the situation that was caused by an obscure movie that depicts Islam’s Muhammad as being a womanizer, fraud and pedophile.
