US Embassy Warns Of Possible Terrorist Attacks In Istanbul

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th January, 2023) The US Embassy in Turkey issued a security alert on Monday warning about possible terrorist attacks in the center of Istanbul after recent cases of Quran desecration in European countries.

The new warning is an update to the January 27 security alert released amid the burning of copies of the Muslim holy book by far-right activists in Europe. The French diplomatic mission then issued a similar warning, citing information from the US Embassy.

"The US government cautions its citizens of possible imminent retaliatory attacks by terrorists against churches, synagogues, and diplomatic missions in Istanbul or other places Westerners frequent, especially in the Beyoglu, Galata, Taksim, and Istiklal areas," the US Embassy said in a statement.

US citizens in Turkey were advised to avoid crowds, follow media reports, stay alert and be aware of the situation around.

The US�diplomatic mission added that the Turkish authorities were investigating the issue.

Earlier in January, Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the far-right Danish political party Stram Kurs, burned copies of the Quran in Sweden and Denmark in a protest against the Turkish leadership. A similar protest was carried out by far-right Dutch politician and leader of the Islamophobic group Pegida Edwin Wagensveld in the Netherlands, when he tore out pages from a copy of the Muslim holy book and burned them in front of the parliamentary building in The Hague.