The Foreign Office is warning of an increased risk that British tourists could be targeted by terrorists operating in Kenya.
The alert, issued on Saturday, said attacks could occur in places frequented by tourists, including hotels, bars, restaurants, nightclubs and sporting events.
The Foreign Office (FCDO) said the main threat is from extremists linked to Al Shabaab, an Al Qaeda affiliated militant group in Somalia.
“Al Shabaab has issued threats and carried out attacks against Kenya, in part, due to Kenyan military intervention in Somalia,” it said.
It added that there is ‘some evidence’ of growing support from another terror group Daesh (formerly ISIL) in Kenya. “On 4 January 2024 Daesh published a statement calling for a new global campaign of terrorism including a specific focus on western and Jewish targets,” it said.
“This statement and the ongoing conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories could increase the likelihood of terrorist attacks which affect British Nationals.”
The FCDO urged tourists to be vigilant and, where possible, avoid regular patterns of movement, travel during daylight hours, and consider whether there are effective local security arrangements in place, such as bag searches and security guards.
It added: “Travellers to Lamu Island and Manda Island should be particularly vigilant given the close proximity of these islands to the Lamu County mainland.
“You should only travel to the islands by air to Lamu airport (a civilian airport on Manda Island), and not by road. The only commercial option for air travel to or form Lamu Island and Manda Island is through Lamu airport.”
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The alert, issued on Saturday, said attacks could occur in places frequented by tourists, including hotels, bars, restaurants, nightclubs and sporting events.
The Foreign Office (FCDO) said the main threat is from extremists linked to Al Shabaab, an Al Qaeda affiliated militant group in Somalia.
“Al Shabaab has issued threats and carried out attacks against Kenya, in part, due to Kenyan military intervention in Somalia,” it said.
It added that there is ‘some evidence’ of growing support from another terror group Daesh (formerly ISIL) in Kenya. “On 4 January 2024 Daesh published a statement calling for a new global campaign of terrorism including a specific focus on western and Jewish targets,” it said.
“This statement and the ongoing conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories could increase the likelihood of terrorist attacks which affect British Nationals.”
The FCDO urged tourists to be vigilant and, where possible, avoid regular patterns of movement, travel during daylight hours, and consider whether there are effective local security arrangements in place, such as bag searches and security guards.
It added: “Travellers to Lamu Island and Manda Island should be particularly vigilant given the close proximity of these islands to the Lamu County mainland.
“You should only travel to the islands by air to Lamu airport (a civilian airport on Manda Island), and not by road. The only commercial option for air travel to or form Lamu Island and Manda Island is through Lamu airport.”
The post Tourists warned of higher risk of terror attacks in Kenya appeared first on Travel Gossip.
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