As the busy holiday season approaches, the U.S. Department of State is warning Americans about the "heightened risk of terrorist attacks throughout Europe."
The revised Europe travel alert, updated on Thursday, urges Americans to "exercise caution at holiday festivals and events."
The missive specifically references the attacks that occurred last December at a Christmas market in Berlin, Germany and at a nightclub in Istanbul, Turkey on New Year's Eve, which "demonstrate that the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS or Da'esh), al-Qa'ida, and their affiliates have the ability to plan and execute terrorist attacks in Europe."
The warning says visitors should be especially alert at tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities. Hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, high-profile events, educational institutions airports, and other soft targets are also considered "priority locations for possible attacks."
The State Department also encourages Americans to check the website of the local U.S. embassy or consulate in their destination or to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive any current security messages.
Americans are also recommended to have an emergency plan of action ready when they travel and to ensure their families know how to reach them in the event of an emergency.
This is not the first such continent-wide alert for Europe by the State Department. It also issued a similar alert in May for summer travel to Europe, following other alerts issued last year in November, in June and in March, following the terror attack in Brussels.
A travel alert, it should be noted, is not the same thing as a travel warning, which is usually more serious and indicative of higher-level threats.
The current travel alert for Europe expires January 31, 2018.
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