Israel urges citizens to leave Turkey, cites Islamic State threat

A relative lays a wreath on Simcha Damari's grave, one of the Israeli victims of the Istanbul blast on March 19, at her funeral in the southern city of Dimona, Israel. PHOTO: EPA

JERUSALEM (REUTERS) - Israel urged its citizens in Turkey on Monday (March 28) to leave "as soon as possible" in an upgraded travel advisory predicting possible follow-up attacks to the March 19 suicide bombing in Istanbul blamed on Islamic State.

Three Israeli tourists and an Iranian were killed in the Istanbul attack, which prompted the counter-terrorism bureau in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office to issue a generalised "level 3" warning against travel to Turkey.

A statement by the bureau raised this to "level 2" on Monday, signifying what it called a "high concrete threat" that Islamic State or similar groups would attack Turkish tourist attractions. It did not elaborate on what prompted the alert.

The statement said Israelis should avoid going to Turkey and, if already there, "depart as soon as possible".

If a "level 1" alert were by issued by Israel, that would urge citizens to leave the country "forthwith".

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.