The US Consulate General in İstanbul released a security message on its website on Saturday warning US citizens that extremist groups are continuing aggressive efforts to attack Americans and/or other foreigners in İstanbul.
Stating that attacks could be either pre-planned or spontaneous, the consulate said such acts could include armed incidents, attempted kidnappings, bombings or other violent acts.
US citizens living in or visiting İstanbul are advised to review their personal security practices when traveling to places where Westerners are known to frequent or reside.
“US citizens should also exercise increased vigilance and caution in areas easily accessible to the general public,” the notice said.
İstanbul has been the scene of several terrorist attacks over the past year, including suicide bombings at İstanbul Atatürk Airport in June that killed 42 and injured 239 others, believed to have been the work of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Another attack in the city’s popular Sultanahmet Square in January led to the deaths of 10 German tourists. In March, three Israeli visitors were among five people killed in a suicide bombing on a crowded pedestrian boulevard, one of the city’s most popular shopping destinations.