Temporary Closure of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara Due to 'Security Threat'

The U.S. Embassy in Ankara has announced that it will temporarily close on Monday, March 5, due to a 'security threat.' The U.S. Embassy in Turkey did not provide details regarding the nature of the 'security threat.' The embassy building is located in Kavaklıdere, Çankaya, which is home to several embassies and government institutions. In Bahman 1391 (February 2013), during a suicide attack on the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, one embassy security officer and the attacker were killed. At that time, the Turkish government stated that the bombing was carried out by the 'Revolutionary People's Liberation Front,' a group that is anti-American and anti-NATO, and is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States. In a statement released on Sunday, the U.S. Embassy urged American citizens in Turkey to avoid crowded and tourist areas and to stay away from the embassy building. The embassy added that the reopening time of this center will be announced in another statement. Relations between Turkey and the U.S. have recently been strained; in addition to the Turkish military operations against Kurdish militants supported by Washington, accusations from the U.S. judiciary against Turkish officials and bank managers, or ignoring Ankara's request for the extradition of Fethullah Gülen, have added to the tensions. Last October, following the arrest of a local employee of the U.S. consulate in Istanbul on charges of 'espionage,' Washington and Ankara suspended and limited visa processing for other citizens. These restrictions were lifted in January.