October 9, 2007

Embassy of the United States of America 
Kuwait City, Kuwait                                                                                             

MEMORANDUM

To:          All American Wardens

From:       Consular Section

Subject:   Warden Notice 2007 – 13

Please circulate the following message without additions or omissions immediately to all American citizens within your area of responsibility:

Begin text.

SYRIA

September 18, 2007

This Travel Warning alerts U.S. citizens to the ongoing safety and security concerns in Syria .  Travelers are advised to thoroughly consider the risks before travel to Syria and to take adequate precautions to ensure their safety if traveling to Syria .  This supersedes the Travel Warning issued on November 13, 2006.

On September 12, 2006, the U.S. Embassy in Damascus was attacked by assailants using improvised explosives, gunfire, and two vehicles laden with explosives. This attack underscores the danger posed by the continued presence of terrorist groups in Syria . The Embassy is working with the Syrian authorities to address these threats and the security issues raised by the attack on the Embassy.  While the authorities have taken measures since then to crack down on local extremists, self-contained groups with no links to external terrorist organizations will remain inherently difficult to detect and disrupt. 

U.S. citizens who remain in or travel to Syria are encouraged to register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Damascus, and to obtain updated information on travel and security in Syria . Americans in Syria should exercise caution and take prudent measures to maintain their security. These measures include being aware of their surroundings, avoiding crowds and demonstrations, keeping a low profile, varying times and routes for all required travel, and ensuring travel documents are current.

U.S. consular personnel remain available to provide emergency information and services to American citizens. The U.S. Embassy in Damascus, Syria , is located at 2, Al-Mansour St. , Abu Roumaneh. The Embassy telephone number is (963) (11) 333-1342, fax (963) (11) 331-9678, e-mail: acsdamascus@state.gov American citizens may register with the Embassy online by visiting https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs . Additional information may be found on the Embassy website at http://usembassy.state.gov/damascus.

Updated information on travel and security in Syria may be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States or, from overseas, 1-202-501-4444. Additional details can be found in the Department of State's Consular Information Sheet for Syria, the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, and the Middle East and North Africa Public Announcement which are available on the Department's Internet website at http://travel.state.gov 

End Text.

American citizens with any questions or concerns may telephone the Embassy at 259-1581, 259-1583 or 259-1240.  In case of an emergency outside business hours, American citizens may reach the Embassy duty officer by calling 259-1001.

This message may be accessed on the Embassy website, http://kuwait.usembassy.gov
American citizens in Kuwait who would like to receive future Warden Messages from the Embassy directly by e-mail may sign up for this service by sending an e-mail to the following address: join-wardenmessagekuwait@mh.databack.com 

American citizens resident and visiting in Kuwait who are not registered with the Embassy, or whose registration information has changed, are urged to register as soon as possible.  They may now do so on-line at the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ website at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/home.asp 

American citizens also may register in person by coming with their passport to the American Citizen Services Unit, Consular Section, from 9 AM to 11 AM and from 1 PM to 3 PM on Sunday, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; on Mondays from 1 PM to 3 PM; and on the first Sunday of each month from 5 PM to 7 PM.