Everything You Need to Know About the U.S. Embassy Closures
Find out why they're closed, for how long and more.
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Everything You Need to Know About the U.S. Embassy Closures - Amid the threat of a possible attack, the U.S. State Department announced last week an unprecedented closure of 22 embassies and consulates in the Mideast on Sunday, Aug. 4. Initially intended for one day, the closings have been extended through Saturday, Aug. 10, at 19 diplomatic posts, including four posts in Africa. U.S. global travel alerts were also issued. Keep reading to learn which embassies are affected, why they are closed and more. —Patrice Peck(Photo: AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
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Which Embassies Are Closed? - The sweeping closures extend across the Mideast and Africa, including Kigali, Rwanda; Amman, Jordan; Muscat, Oman; Cairo, Egypt; Djibouti, Djibouti; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Port Louis, Mauritius; Sana’a, Yemen; and Tripoli, Libya. The State Department has released the full list here. Recent prison breaks in the region, particularly Iraq, Libya and Pakistan, have also been attributed to the closings.(Photo: STEPHANIE AGLIETTI/AFP/Getty Images)
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Why Were the Embassies Closed? - An intercepted message between senior al-Qaida operatives suggested that a terrorist attack was in the works and led to the shuttering. The end of Ramadan on Aug. 7 and the 15-year anniversary of the deadly attacks against U.S posts in Tanzania and Kenya have also been considered possible factors. Current information suggests that al-Qaida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks both in the region and beyond, according to the Department of State. Efforts to conduct attacks may continue between now and the end of August.(Photo: REUTERS/Stringer)
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Where Did the Threats Originate? - The Yemen government is “on high alert against possible attacks in the days to come," a senior U.S. security official told CNN. As for the individuals involved, the threat could be coming from the al-Qaida offshoot Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) the same group responsible for the botched Christmas Day underwear bombing in 2009 and another foiled terrorist attack in 2011.(Photo: Courtesy of the University of Texas)
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Have Legislators Addressed the Public? - Lawmakers first publicly disclosed the seriousness of the threat on Sunday on Meet the Press. “This specific threat, that we’ve been briefed about over and over again, [has] reached a new level,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois). The senator revealed that Vice President Joe Biden had briefed him and other senators last week about which embassies were particularly vulnerable.(Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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