MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Australian government called on its citizens on Thursday to reconsider their need to travel to Turkish cities of Ankara and Istanbul amid heightened terrorist threat for tourists and westerners, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said.
"The travel advice has been reissued following the deaths of more than 80 people in four separate suicide bombings in Istanbul and Ankara in 2016. Terrorist groups continue to threaten further attacks, including targeting tourists and westerners," Bishop said in a statement.
The foreign minister stressed that Canberra was unaware of any specific threats during the Anzac Day celebrations but urged Australians to minimize any transit time spent in Istanbul and Ankara.
Two most recent terror attacks in Turkey took place just in a month. On March 13, at least 37 people were killed and over 125 were wounded at a bus stop near a central square in Ankara and on March 19, five people including the attacker were killed and at least 36 were injured in blast at a major tourist street in Istanbul.
