The US Embassy in Colombo has revoked the travel restriction it issued in October concerning the Arugam Bay area on the South-East coast of Sri Lanka.
Issuing a statement, the US Embassy announced that it has lifted travel restrictions issued on October 23, 2024, for Arugam Bay.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo, however, encouraged all US citizens to review the Travel Advisory for Sri Lanka, maintain vigilance, be aware of their surroundings and report suspicious activity and emergencies to local authorities via the hotline -119.
In October, the US Embassy in Sri Lanka issued a travel advisory to its citizens, stating that it had received credible information warning of an attack targeting popular tourist locations in the Arugam Bay area.
Soon after, Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa clarified that the surge in Israeli tourists and the occupation of a building in the Arugam Bay area may have prompted the US Embassy in Colombo to issue an advisory.
Following the US Embassy, several more countries, including the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and Russia, had also updated their travel advisory related to Sri Lanka.
The National Security Council of Israel also called on Israelis to leave Sri Lanka’s Arugam Bay area and other beaches in the island’s south and west immediately, citing terrorism threats.