US embassy in Turkey issues a warning about 'potential terrorist attacks and kidnappings' of Americans and foreigners in Istanbul

• The US embassy in Turkey issued a warning on Friday about the threat of terror attacks.
• "The U.S. Mission in Turkey has received credible reports of potential terrorist attacks and kidnappings against U.S. citizens and foreign nationals in Istanbul, including against the U.S. Consulate General, as well as potentially other locations in Turkey," the alert said.
• American citizens have been advised to exercise caution and avoid crowds.
• The embassy has temporarily suspended its services.

The US embassy in Turkey issued a warning about possible terror attacks against American citizens on Friday.

"The U.S. Mission in Turkey has received credible reports of potential terrorist attacks and kidnappings against U.S. citizens and foreign nationals in Istanbul, including against the U.S. Consulate General, as well as potentially other locations in Turkey," the embassy said in a statement.

Due to the threat, the embassy announced a temporary suspension of citizen services and visa processing at all of its facilities, including the embassy in the capital city of Ankara, the US Consulate General-Istanbul, US Consulate-Adana, and the US Consular Agency-Izmir.

The security alert also advised American citizens to exercise caution, avoid crowds, keep a low profile, and monitor local media for updates.

"The US mission to Turkey issued this notice as a result of our ongoing assessment of security conditions. The statement speaks for itself," a US embassy spokesperson said, according to the Associated Press. "We are grateful for the support of the Turkish government in ensuring the safety of Americans living in Turkey as well as Turkish citizens who visit our Embassy and Consulates."