MANAMA, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. administration has decided to close its foreign missions in Muslim countries, including Bahrain, for Sunday over "security concerns," according to the website of the U.S. embassy in the Gulf kingdom.
An unspecified number of US embassies and consulates will close or suspend operations on Sunday, a workday in Muslim countries, after U.S. State Department spokesperson Marie Harf warned of security and safety threats.
Accordingly, "the U.S. embassy in Manama, Bahrain will be closed on Sunday, August 4," said an advisory posted on the embassy's website, adding U.S. citizen services and visa appointments have been rescheduled on an individual basis.
The embassy advised U.S. citizens in Bahrain to avoid areas of large gatherings, warning "even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence."
The United States issued a warning in 2012 cautioning its diplomatic facilities throughout the Muslim world of possible violence linked to the anniversary of the Sept.-11 attacks.
Around Sept. 11, 2012, dozens of U.S. foreign missions came under attack over an U.S.-made movie that insulted Islam.
The U.S. ambassador to Libya, along with three other U.S. citizens, was killed in one of such attacks the country's eastern city of Benghazi.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Obama administration on Friday strongly denounced the deadly attack on the U.S. embassy in Ankara, Turkey, calling it an act of terror. Full story
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