U.S. Embassy Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Security Message for U.S. Citizens: Take Precautions December 17-19
December 15, 2016
The U.S. Embassy informs U.S. citizens in the DRC that U.S. government employees have been instructed to limit their movements to and within Gombe starting on Saturday, December 17. Employees have also been asked to remain in their residences from Saturday at 23:00 until Sunday, December 18 at 05:00.
On Sunday, December 18, a Shelter-in-Place order will go into effect at 19:00.
The U.S. Embassy will be open on Monday, December 19.
U.S. citizens should:
· Remain indoors in a safe location on December 19.
· Avoid demonstrations.
· Be sure to have extra food, water and medication on hand.
· Establish a communication plan with your friends and family, so they know when to expect to hear from you.
Always exercise caution when in the vicinity of any large gatherings, protests, or demonstrations. Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence.
Review your personal security plans, remain aware of your surroundings, including local events, and monitor local news stations for updates. Be vigilant and take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security. U.S. citizens should review the Travel Warning for the DRC and remain alert for potentially dangerous situations.
For further information:
· See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information for the DRC.
· Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
· Contact the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa, located at 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, at +243-081-225-5872 (Do not dial the zero when calling from abroad); the Consular Section at tel. +243-081-884-6859 or +243-081-884-4609 from Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is 081-556-0151.
· Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
· Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
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