Date of Advisory: April 9, 2019
The U.S. Department of State discourages travel to the Central African Republic because of large areas of the country experience crime, civil unrest, and heightened chances of kidnapping.
Several areas of the nation are controlled by armed groups who regularly kidnap, injure, and kill civilians and travelers. Thanks to the civil unrest airport, land border, and road closures often occur and with little to no notice.
Date of Advisory: April 9, 2019
The U.S. Dept. of State suggests reconsidering any travel plans to the Democratic Republic of the Congo due to an increased risk of crime and civil unrest. The provinces of North Kivu and Ituri are known for their risks of crime, kidnapping, and Ebola. The Eastern DRC and the three Kasai provinces are prone to armed conflict.
Petty theft is more common, but violent crimes such as home invasion, armed robbery, and assault are not uncommon. Often, these assailants pose as police or security agents. Many cities in the country experience demonstrations which have sometimes turned violent.
Date of Advisory: July 10, 2019
The U.S. Department of State has found that travel to North Korea for U.S. nationals creates the risk of arrest and long-term detention. People can’t even use a U.S. passport to travel to, in, or through North Korea unless they have special validation from the Department of State (and this is granted in minimal circumstances).
Date of Advisory: April 9, 2019
The U.S. Department of State has found that the country has high levels of kidnapping, arrest, and detention of U.S. citizens.
For U.S. citizens (especially Iranian-Americans), there’s a high risk of kidnapping, arrest, and detention. Iranian authorities have consistently detained and imprisoned U.S. citizens (but especially Iranian-Americans, students, journalists, business travelers, and academics). The authorities typically charge these arrested people with espionage and posing a threat to national security.
Date of Advisory: June 11, 2019
The U.S. Dept. of State recommends you reconsider travel plans to Haiti due to crime, civil unrest, and kidnapping.
Protests and road blockages occur often and are unpredictable. Violent crimes like armed robbery are common, and kidnapping has occurred. Local police usually lack the resources to respond to serious criminal incidents, and emergency responses (such as an ambulance) are limited or non-existent. Travelers are occasionally targeted, followed, and attacked or robbed after leaving the airport.
Date of Advisory: April 9, 2019
The U.S. Department of State discourages travel to any part of Syria, as nowhere is safe from civil unrest, kidnapping, and dangerous armed conflict.
All areas of Syria have shown significant signs of danger. This danger can range from kidnappings to the use of chemical warfare to destroy infrastructure, housing, schools, and other domestic and foreigner-frequented buildings.
Date of Advisory: October 2, 2019
The most recent addition onto this list, it’s recommended that you reconsider travel to the country of Chad due to increased crime and minefields hidden across the country.
Violent crimes such as armed robbery, carjacking, and muggings have been reported, and there’s been a major increase in these crimes since 2018. Insurgents have been known to attack without warning and specifically target foreigners. Borders are easy to cross and have been known to close with no notice. Along the borders of Sudan and Libya, there have been reports of unmapped and undocumented minefields.
Date of Advisory: April 9, 2019
The U.S. Department of State discourages travel to Yemen due to terrorism, civil unrest, health risks, kidnapping, and armed conflict.
Insurgent groups continue to plan and conduct attacks in Yemen with little or no warning. Usually, they’ll target public sites, transportation hubs, markets, and shopping malls. There’s also a hanging threat of kidnapping and detention. Military conflict has caused significant damage to infrastructure, hospitals, and water/power utilities (which limits the availability of clean water, electricity, and medical care). Yemen is also home to the world’s largest outbreak of cholera, and adequate treatment options aren’t available.
Date of Advisory: April 9, 2019
The U.S. Department of State has found that Venezuela is a cluster of danger, especially for U.S. citizens. Venezuela is known for its crime, civil unrest, poor health infrastructure, kidnapping, and irrational arrest and detention of U.S. citizens.
Violent crimes like homicide, armed robbery, kidnapping, and carjacking are all commonplace occurrences across the country. Demonstrations usually cause strong police and security force responses that include the use of tear gas, pepper spray, water cannons, and rubber bullets against the participants. There are shortages of food, electricity, water, medicine, and medical supplies throughout most of the country.
Date of Advisory: June 24, 2019
The U.S. Dept. of State recommends you rethink travel plans to Honduras because of heightened reports of crime. The area of Gracias a Dios also has a Level 4 advisory, also because of crime.
Violent crimes and armed robbery are common. Gangs are active in the country and practice activities such as extortion, trafficking, narcotics dealing, and violent street crime are widespread. In addition to all the crime, local police and emergency responders usually lack the resources to respond effectively to serious incidents.
Date of Advisory: April 9, 2019
The U.S. Department of State encourages you to reconsider travel to Nigeria because of heightened crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and piracy. Some areas have an increased risk, such as the Borno, Yobo, and northern Adamawa states, which have a Level 4 travel advisory.
Violent crimes like armed robbery, assault, carjacking, and kidnapping are common throughout the country. Insurgents are known to plot and carry out attacks in Nigeria, especially in the Northeast. They're also known to attack with little to no warning and usually target areas with crowds.
Date of Advisory: April 3, 2019
The U.S. Dept. of State recommends you reconsider travel plans to Nicaragua due to the heightened civil unrest, crime, limited healthcare availability, and random enforcement of laws.
All throughout the country, armed and violent uniformed police or civilians acting as police target, anyone they think are considered to oppose Ortega. The government and armed police have been known to detain protestors, seize private property, search personal phones and computers, or detain individuals on unfounded charges, money laundering, and organized crime. Violent crimes, such as assault and armed robbery, are common.
Date of Advisory: April 9, 2019
The U.S. Department of State has found that Somalia is host to a multitude of violent occurrences. Somalia is home to violent crimes such as kidnapping, murder, piracy, and terrorism.
Insurgents are known to plot and carry out kidnappings, bombings, and other attacks on Somalia, and most of these have little or no warning. Pirates also frequent the waters off the Horn of Africa but especially in the international waters near Somalia.
Date of Advisory: May 15, 2019
The U.S. Department of State has found that Iraq has a high occurrence of kidnapping, terrorism, and armed conflict.
Specifically, U.S. citizens in Iraq are at a significant risk for violence and kidnapping. Insurgent groups are almost ubiquitous in the country and make regular attacks against Iraqi security forces and civilians.
Date of Advisory: April 9, 2019
The U.S. Dept. of State suggests reconsidering travel to Lebanon due to crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict. Certain areas are also prone to greater problems and Level 4 rating thanks to insurgents and armed or conflict. It’s best to avoid the border with Syria, the border with Israel, and refugee settlements.
Some areas of Lebanon provide threats of armed clashes, kidnapping, and outbreaks of violence. Insurgent groups are known to plot and commit attacks on high traffic areas such as markets, malls, and tourist locations. Kidnappings (either for ransom or family disputes) have occurred across the country, and it's possible suspects of these kidnappings are related to criminal organizations.
Date of Advisory: April 9, 2019
The U.S. Department of State says that all areas of Afghanistan are seen as unsafe. Afghanistan has critical levels of kidnappings, hostage situations, bombings, military combat operations, landmines, and insurgent attacks.
Insurgent groups have repeatedly planned and carried out attacks in Afghanistan. These attacks occur with very little or no warning at all, and official Afghan and U.S. convoys and facilities have specifically been targeted.
Date of Advisory: April 9, 2019
The U.S. Department of State discourages travel to South Sudan due to its high concentration of crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict
Armed conflicts between various groups are widespread, and weapons are readily available to the population. There are often cattle raids that usually lead to violence. If you’re a journalist, then this is one of the most dangerous countries on the planet. Reporting in South Sudan without the proper documentation is considered illegal, and journalistic work is dangerous there. Journalists regularly report harassment, and many have been killed while covering the conflict in the nation.
Date of Advisory: September 26, 2019
Before you ask, yes, Sudan and South Sudan are two different countries. The U.S. Dept. of State recommends you reconsider travel to Sudan because of heightened crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed conflict.
Agents of known insurgent groups have been active in Sudan and could pose a threat. Insurgent groups in Sudan may target and harm Westerners, and they’re known for attacking with little or no warning. Violence continues along the Chad-Sudan border and areas bordering South Sudan. Armed opposition groups are known to be active in the Central Darfur state, in parts of the Blue Nile, and South Kordofan states.
Date of Advisory: April 9, 2019
The U.S. Department of State reports that Mali is ripe with violent crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, and insurgents.
Violent crimes are common in the northern and central regions of Mali and have been found to increase during seasonal events. Roadblocks and random police checkpoints are common across the country, especially at night.
Terrorists and armed groups are known to plot and carry out attacks and kidnappings in Mali. Usually, they attack with little to no warning and target locations that are often frequented by foreigners (such as night clubs, hotels, and restaurants).
Date of Advisory: April 9, 2019
The U.S. Dept. of State recommends you reconsider any travel to Pakistan due to high rates of violence. There are three areas in Pakistan with Level 4 warnings: Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for terrorism and kidnapping; the Azad Kashmir area due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict.
Insurgent groups have been active in Pakistan and are known to attack with little warning and target group-filled areas. Insurgents have been known to target U.S. diplomats and diplomatic facilities in the past, and evidence has shown that they continue to do so. Large-scale attacks across the country have been known to result in hundreds of casualties.
