In a travel warning on May 19 (Tuesday in Manila), the US State Department urged its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the Sulu Archipelago “due to the high threat of kidnapping of international travelers and violence linked to insurgency and terrorism there.”
The US also advised Americans to “exercise extreme caution” if traveling to the Mindanao area, citing continuing operations of separatist and terror groups.
“Over the past nine months, there have been kidnappings and attempted kidnappings of foreigners in the Eastern Sabah province of Malaysia and in the southern Sulu Sea area by terrorist or insurgent groups based in the Sulu Archipelago of the Philippines,” read the advisory posted on the US State Department website (https://www.travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertswarnings/philippines-travel-warning.html).
The state department cited the same warning for other parts of Mindanao, including an area of the Sulu Sea between Balabac Island and Palawan, Zamboanga City and Sabah.
The Embassy also continues to implement a “strict restriction on all but the most essential travel to Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago” for its employees, with trips only allowed if personnel secure a special authorization from Embassy security officials.
Last week, the United Kingdom and Australia also warned their citizens against travel to Mindanao, citing recent abductions believed to have been perpetrated by the bandit Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
RELATED STORIES
US issues travel warning to PH over kidnapping threats
AFP assures safety of foreigners amid US travel warning