The United States has warned its citizens not to travel to Iraq ‘for any reason’.

In a written statement from the US Department of State, it was reminded that non-essential government personnel were instructed to leave the country. In the statement, the travel advisory for Iraq was raised to Level 4, meaning 'Do not travel,' and a red alert was issued. The decision was justified by ‘terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, civil unrest, and the U.S. government’s limited ability to provide essential emergency services to U.S. citizens in Iraq.’ The statement included a warning: ‘Do not travel to Iraq for any reason.’

The statement noted that U.S. government personnel in Iraq are expected to live and work under strict security conditions, and stated, “There is a risk of terrorist violence, terrorist attacks, and other activities in Iraq.”