WASHINGTON, Aug 13 (AFP) - Citing "credible" data on planned attacks on westerners in Saudi Arabia, the US State Department says itrs non-emergency diplomatic personnel pulled out of the country on April 15 will not be permitted to return until further notice.
"Non-emergency employees and all dependents of the US Embassy Riyadh and Consulates General Jeddah and Dhahran were ordered to leave the country on April 15, 2004 and will not be permitted to return until further notice," the State Department said in a travel warning dated Thursday.
"The US government continues to receive credible information indicating that extremists are planning further attacks against US and Western interests," the advisory said.
"Credible information indicates that terrorists continue to target residential compounds in Saudi Arabia, particularly in the Riyadh area, but also compounds throughout the country," the State Department said.
"Recent incidents indicate that American citizens residing in private residences are also being specifically targeted."
The State Department warned US citizens against traveling to Saudi Arabia, "due to targeted attacks against American citizens, resulting in deaths, injuries and kidnapping, and the continuing serious threat to their safety while in Saudi Arabia."
The warning, an update from its June 23 advisory, also "strongly" urged US citizens in Saudi Arabia to leave the country.