The U.S. State Department has ordered the departure of family members of employees at the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey, citing security concerns over increased terror threats.
The statement released on the State Department's website said that the decision was based on security information indicating terror groups are continuing aggressive efforts to attack U.S. citizens in areas of Istanbul where they reside or frequent. The Consulate General will remain open and fully staffed, the statement added.
The department recently authorized the voluntary departure of relatives of employees at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara and Consulate General in Istanbul. The department issued a travel warning on Turkey shortly after the July 15 failed coup.
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu had a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry regarding the matter, diplomatic sources said on Sunday, without giving more detail on the content of the conversation.
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