State Department warns Americans against travel to Pakistan

Protesters use sticks to smash the windscreen and windows of a car during an anti-America protest march in Islamabad September 20, 2012. Credit: REUTERS/Faisal Mahmood

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. citizens should avoid travel to Pakistan, the State Department said on Thursday, in a fresh warning that follows numerous protests, demonstrations and rallies in Pakistan that U.S. officials said are likely to continue.

Officials upgraded their ongoing caution about the travel risks in Pakistan, explicitly advising Americans to put off any non-essential travel to the country. They also "strongly urged" those who are already there to avoid protests and large gatherings.

The State Department said the presence of al Qaeda, Taliban elements, and "indigenous militant sectarian groups poses a potential danger to U.S. citizens throughout Pakistan."

Thursday's warning follows a wave of anti-American demonstrations in predominantly Muslim countries, including a deadly protest in Libya last week that killed a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans.

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