The US government has ordered all civilian family members of its Istanbul consulate staff to leave Turkey because of increasing threats from terrorist organizations, according to a travel warning issued Saturday by the US State Department.

"The Department of State made this decision based on security information indicating extremist groups are continuing aggressive efforts to attack US citizens in areas of Istanbul where they reside or frequent," the warning said.

The warning goes beyond the one issued Monday that urged Americans to avoid traveling to southeast Turkey, especially urban centers near the Turkish-Syrian border, because of recent terrorist attacks.

Turkey has become increasingly volatile in the past year because of terrorist attacks at home and its involvement in the Syrian civil war.

ISIS is suspected in a June attack at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport that left 44 people dead, and an explosion at an August wedding in Gaziantep , not far from the border with Syria, that killed at least 54 people.

The Turkish army suspects the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) was behind a September car bombing in southeast Turkey that killed at least 18 people . That group has been accused of a string of bombings targeting Turkish police and army assets. Not all the violence involves militant groups. A failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July led to a massive number of arrests and the imposition of a state of emergency. Meanwhile, Turkey's intrusion into the Syrian civil war has strained relations with the United States. Turkey says it wants to help Syrian rebel forces fight ISIS, but Turkish warplanes have also bombed US-allied Kurdish fighters who are also fighting ISIS. Kurds are a large ethnic minority along the Turkish-Syrian border. The United States has evacuated other dependents from Turkey. In March, the Pentagon ordered family members to leave Incirlik Airbase in southeast Turkey because of danger from ISIS. The State Department also ordered families of employees of the US consulate in Adana to evacuate the country. The State Department didn't say how many family members would be affected by the Saturday evacuation order. The warning said that the consulate remains open and fully staffed and that the order does not apply to other diplomatic posts in Turkey. US diplomatic posts in Turkey have been attacked in the past. In July 2009, gunmen fired on the US Consulate in Istanbul, and in February 2013 a suicide bomber attacked the US Embassy in Ankara.</s>WASHINGTON — The State Department is ordering family members of employees posted to the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul to leave because of security concerns.

In a statement issued Saturday, the State Department says the decision is based on security information indicating extremist groups are continuing aggressive efforts to attack U.S. citizens in areas of Istanbul where they reside or frequent.

The Consulate General remains open and fully staffed. The order applies only to the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, not to other U.S. diplomatic posts in Turkey.

The travel warning issued Saturday updates a warning last week of increased threats from terrorist groups throughout Turkey. U.S. citizens were advised to avoid travel to southeast Turkey and carefully consider the risks of travel to and throughout the country.

The State Department said international and indigenous terrorist organizations in Turkey have been targeting U.S. as well as other foreign tourists.

Anti-American sentiment runs high in Turkey despite its status as a NATO ally and a member of the anti-ISIS coalition.

In addition to the terrorist threat, friction between Washington and Ankara has increased since a failed July coup in Turkey, which Turkish officials blame on a U.S.-based cleric who lives in self-exile in Pennsylvania. Turkey has requested his extradition, but the U.S. has yet to make a decision.</s>The US government has ordered all civilian family members of its Istanbul consulate staff to leave Turkey because of increasing threats from terrorist organizations, according to a travel warning issued Saturday by the US State Department.

"The Department of State made this decision based on security information indicating extremist groups are continuing aggressive efforts to attack US citizens in areas of Istanbul where they reside or frequent," the warning said.

The warning goes beyond the one issued Monday that urged Americans to avoid traveling to southeast Turkey, especially urban centers near the Turkish-Syrian border, because of recent terrorist attacks.

Turkey has become increasingly volatile in the past year because of terrorist attacks at home and its involvement in the Syrian civil war.

ISIS is suspected in a June attack at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport that left 44 people dead, and an explosion at an August wedding in Gaziantep , not far from the border with Syria, that killed at least 54 people.

The Turkish army suspects the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) was behind a September car bombing in southeast Turkey that killed at least 18 people . That group has been accused of a string of bombings targeting Turkish police and army assets. Not all the violence involves militant groups. A failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July led to a massive number of arrests and the imposition of a state of emergency. Meanwhile, Turkey's intrusion into the Syrian civil war has strained relations with the United States. Turkey says it wants to help Syrian rebel forces fight ISIS, but Turkish warplanes have also bombed US-allied Kurdish fighters who are also fighting ISIS. Kurds are a large ethnic minority along the Turkish-Syrian border. The United States has evacuated other dependents from Turkey. In March, the Pentagon ordered family members to leave Incirlik Airbase in southeast Turkey because of danger from ISIS. The State Department also ordered families of employees of the US consulate in Adana to evacuate the country. The State Department didn't say how many family members would be affected by the Saturday evacuation order. The warning said that the consulate remains open and fully staffed and that the order does not apply to other diplomatic posts in Turkey. US diplomatic posts in Turkey have been attacked in the past. In July 2009, gunmen fired on the US Consulate in Istanbul, and in February 2013 a suicide bomber attacked the US Embassy in Ankara.</s>The US government has ordered all civilian family members of its Istanbul consulate staff to leave Turkey because of increasing threats from terrorist organizations, according to a travel warning issued Saturday by the US State Department.

"The Department of State made this decision based on security information indicating extremist groups are continuing aggressive efforts to attack US citizens in areas of Istanbul where they reside or frequent," the warning said.

The warning goes beyond the one issued Monday that urged Americans to avoid traveling to southeast Turkey, especially urban centers near the Turkish-Syrian border, because of recent terrorist attacks.

Turkey has become increasingly volatile in the past year because of terrorist attacks at home and its involvement in the Syrian civil war.

ISIS is suspected in a June attack at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport that left 44 people dead, and an explosion at an August wedding in Gaziantep , not far from the border with Syria, that killed at least 54 people.

The Turkish army suspects the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) was behind a September car bombing in southeast Turkey that killed at least 18 people . That group has been accused of a string of bombings targeting Turkish police and army assets. Not all the violence involves militant groups. A failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July led to a massive number of arrests and the imposition of a state of emergency. Meanwhile, Turkey's intrusion into the Syrian civil war has strained relations with the United States. Turkey says it wants to help Syrian rebel forces fight ISIS, but Turkish warplanes have also bombed US-allied Kurdish fighters who are also fighting ISIS. Kurds are a large ethnic minority along the Turkish-Syrian border. The United States has evacuated other dependents from Turkey. In March, the Pentagon ordered family members to leave Incirlik Airbase in southeast Turkey because of danger from ISIS. The State Department also ordered families of employees of the US consulate in Adana to evacuate the country. The State Department didn't say how many family members would be affected by the Saturday evacuation order. The warning said that the consulate remains open and fully staffed and that the order does not apply to other diplomatic posts in Turkey. US diplomatic posts in Turkey have been attacked in the past. In July 2009, gunmen fired on the US Consulate in Istanbul, and in February 2013 a suicide bomber attacked the US Embassy in Ankara.</s>The US government has ordered all civilian family members of its Istanbul consulate staff to leave Turkey because of increasing threats from terrorist organizations, according to a travel warning issued Saturday by the US State Department.

"The Department of State made this decision based on security information indicating extremist groups are continuing aggressive efforts to attack US citizens in areas of Istanbul where they reside or frequent," the warning said.

The warning goes beyond the one issued Monday that urged Americans to avoid traveling to southeast Turkey, especially urban centers near the Turkish-Syrian border, because of recent terrorist attacks.

Turkey has become increasingly volatile in the past year because of terrorist attacks at home and its involvement in the Syrian civil war.

ISIS is suspected in a June attack at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport that left 44 people dead, and an explosion at an August wedding in Gaziantep , not far from the border with Syria, that killed at least 54 people.

The Turkish army suspects the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) was behind a September car bombing in southeast Turkey that killed at least 18 people . That group has been accused of a string of bombings targeting Turkish police and army assets. Not all the violence involves militant groups. A failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July led to a massive number of arrests and the imposition of a state of emergency. Meanwhile, Turkey's intrusion into the Syrian civil war has strained relations with the United States. Turkey says it wants to help Syrian rebel forces fight ISIS, but Turkish warplanes have also bombed US-allied Kurdish fighters who are also fighting ISIS. Kurds are a large ethnic minority along the Turkish-Syrian border. The United States has evacuated other dependents from Turkey. In March, the Pentagon ordered family members to leave Incirlik Airbase in southeast Turkey because of danger from ISIS. The State Department also ordered families of employees of the US consulate in Adana to evacuate the country. The State Department didn't say how many family members would be affected by the Saturday evacuation order. The warning said that the consulate remains open and fully staffed and that the order does not apply to other diplomatic posts in Turkey. US diplomatic posts in Turkey have been attacked in the past. In July 2009, gunmen fired on the US Consulate in Istanbul, and in February 2013 a suicide bomber attacked the US Embassy in Ankara.</s>"The Department of State made this decision based on security information indicating extremist groups are continuing aggressive efforts to attack U.S. citizens in areas of Istanbul where they reside or frequent," the department said in a statement.

The State Department said the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul remains open and said the order does not apply to any other U.S. diplomatic posts in Turkey.

Saturday's warning updates previous State Department advisories of "increased threats from terrorist groups throughout Turkey." The department advises U.S. citizens to avoid travel to southeast Turkey and also advises caution on the risks of traveling anywhere in the country. (Reporting by Leslie Adler; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)</s>The new decree "made it easier to sack public officials believed to be members of terrorist organizations or groups involved in activities against the country's national security," Anadolu reported.

The 10,131 dismissed government employees were alleged to have ties to Gulen, a US-based Turkish cleric, and his movement, which Turkey blames for the failed July coup and considers a terrorist organization.

The decree also effectively grants President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the power to appoint all the heads of Turkey's universities by abolishing a system in which academics picked the top candidates for rectors of the schools. Academics had selected a slate of rector candidates at the institutions for more than two decades.

The 15 Kurdish media companies that were shut down are accused of ties to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which has been battling the Turkish state off and on for some 30 years. Turkey, the United States and the European Union consider it to be a terrorist organization. The media shutdown is the latest in an escalation of moves against prominent Kurds. On Tuesday, authorities detained the two elected mayors of the predominantly Kurdish southeastern city of Diyarbakir, also over alleged PKK "terror links." There have been calls in parts of Istanbul to protest the move to close the Kurdish media outlets and the detention of the mayors. of its consulate staff to leave Turkey on Saturday. of its consulate staff to leave Turkey on Saturday. The US Consulate in Istanbul ordered all civilian family members of its consulate staff to leave Turkey on Saturday. The move follows a travel warning from the State Department. "The Department of State made this decision based on security information indicating extremist groups are continuing aggressive efforts to attack US citizens in areas of Istanbul where they reside or frequent," the warning said. A travel warning for southeast Turkey, especially urban centers near the Turkish-Syrian border, has been in effect since Monday.</s>WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department is ordering family members of employees posted to the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul to leave because of security concerns.

In a statement issued Saturday, the State Department says the decision is based on security information indicating extremist groups are continuing aggressive efforts to attack U.S. citizens in areas of Istanbul where they reside or frequent.

The Consulate General remains open and fully staffed. The order applies only to the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, not to other U.S. diplomatic posts in Turkey.

The travel warning issued Saturday updates a warning last week of increased threats from terrorist groups throughout Turkey. U.S. citizens were advised to avoid travel to southeast Turkey and carefully consider the risks of travel to and throughout the country.

The State Department said international and indigenous terrorist organizations in Turkey have been targeting U.S. as well as other foreign tourists.

Anti-American sentiment runs high in Turkey despite its status as a NATO ally and a member of the anti-ISIS coalition.

In addition to the terrorist threat, friction between Washington and Ankara has increased since a failed July coup in Turkey, which Turkish officials blame on a U.S.-based cleric who lives in self-exile in Pennsylvania. Turkey has requested his extradition, but the U.S. has yet to make a decision.</s>The US government has ordered all civilian family members of its Istanbul consulate staff to leave Turkey because of increasing threats from terrorist organizations, according to a travel warning issued Saturday by the US State Department.

"The Department of State made this decision based on security information indicating extremist groups are continuing aggressive efforts to attack US citizens in areas of Istanbul where they reside or frequent," the warning said.

The warning goes beyond the one issued Monday that urged Americans to avoid traveling to southeast Turkey, especially urban centers near the Turkish-Syrian border, because of recent terrorist attacks.

Turkey has become increasingly volatile in the past year because of terrorist attacks at home and its involvement in the Syrian civil war.

ISIS is suspected in a June attack at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport that left 44 people dead, and an explosion at an August wedding in Gaziantep , not far from the border with Syria, that killed at least 54 people.

The Turkish army suspects the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) was behind a September car bombing in southeast Turkey that killed at least 18 people . That group has been accused of a string of bombings targeting Turkish police and army assets. Not all the violence involves militant groups. A failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July led to a massive number of arrests and the imposition of a state of emergency. Meanwhile, Turkey's intrusion into the Syrian civil war has strained relations with the United States. Turkey says it wants to help Syrian rebel forces fight ISIS, but Turkish warplanes have also bombed US-allied Kurdish fighters who are also fighting ISIS. Kurds are a large ethnic minority along the Turkish-Syrian border. The United States has evacuated other dependents from Turkey. In March, the Pentagon ordered family members to leave Incirlik Airbase in southeast Turkey because of danger from ISIS. The State Department also ordered families of employees of the US consulate in Adana to evacuate the country. The State Department didn't say how many family members would be affected by the Saturday evacuation order. The warning said that the consulate remains open and fully staffed and that the order does not apply to other diplomatic posts in Turkey. US diplomatic posts in Turkey have been attacked in the past. In July 2009, gunmen fired on the US Consulate in Istanbul, and in February 2013 a suicide bomber attacked the US Embassy in Ankara.</s>US orders families of consulate workers in Istanbul to leave

U.S. service members participate in an Armed Forces Flag Cordon hosted by the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, in honor of His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's prime minister at the State Department in Washington, D.C., May 16, 2013.

WASHINGTON — The State Department is ordering family members of employees posted to the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul to leave because of security concerns.

In a statement issued Saturday, the State Department says the decision is based on security information indicating extremist groups are continuing aggressive efforts to attack U.S. citizens in areas of Istanbulwhere they reside or frequent.

The Consulate General remains open and fully staffed. The order applies only to the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, not to other U.S. diplomatic posts in Turkey.

The travel warning issued Saturday updates a warning last week of increased threats from terrorist groups throughout Turkey. U.S. citizens were advised to avoid travel to southeast Turkey and carefully consider the risks of travel to and throughout the country.

The State Department said international and indigenous terrorist organizations in Turkey have been targeting U.S. as well as other foreign tourists.

Anti-American sentiment runs high in Turkey despite its status as a NATO ally and a member of the anti-ISIS coalition.

In addition to the terrorist threat, friction between Washington and Ankara has increased since a failed July coup in Turkey, which Turkish officials blame on a U.S.-based cleric who lives in self-exile in Pennsylvania. Turkey has requested his extradition, but the U.S. has yet to make a decision.
The United States orders all civilian staff family members to leave its consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, due to increasing threats from terrorist organizations.