Israelis and Americans urged to evacuate parts of Sri Lanka over terror threat

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

AMERICAN AND ISRAELI CITIZENS ARE BEING TOLD TO LEAVE SOME TOURIST SITES IN SRI LANKA OVER CONCERNS OF A POSSIBLE TERROR ATTACK.

ISRAEL’S NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL AND U-S OFFICIALS SHARED THE WARNING WEDNESDAY.
THE AREA OF CONCERN IS ARUGAM [AY-RUE-GUM] BAY AND BEACHES IN THE SOUTH AND WEST OF THE COUNTRY.

SPECIFICS ON THE EXACT THREAT WERE NOT GIVEN BUT ISRAELI AUTHORITIES REVEALED THE CALL CAME AFTER “CURRENT INFORMATION ABOUT A TERRORIST THREAT FOCUSED ON TOURIST AREAS AND BEACHES.”

ISRAELIS WERE URGED TO BE VIGILANT AND AVOID LARGE GATHERINGS IN PUBLIC SPACES.

AND THE U-S EMBASSY IN SRI LANKA ADVISED AMERICANS TO DO THE SAME.

CITING “CREDIBLE INFORMATION” ON A POTENTIAL TERRORIST ATTACK.

ISRAELI OFFICIALS STATED THEY WERE IN “CLOSE CONTACT WITH SECURITY OFFICIALS IN SRI LANKA” ABOUT THE ONGOING SITUATION.

LOCAL SECURITY HAS REPORTEDLY BEEN BEEFED UP OVER THE POTENTIAL FOR A TERRORIST ATTACK.

THE AREA IS A POPULAR SPOT FOR SURFING AND ATTRACTS A LARGE NUMBER OF ISRAELI TOURISTS.

SRI LANKA HAS SEEN TOURISM NUMBERS REBOUND AS THE ISLAND NATION RECOVERS FROM AN ECONOMIC CRISIS.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.