- Switzerland has temporarily closed its representations in Turkey.
- The reason for this is “tangible information about an impending terrorist attack,” said the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA).
Legend:
The Swiss Embassy in Ankara (pictured) and the Consulate General in Istanbul have been closed.
EDA
The FDFA thus confirmed a report by Blick.ch. The Swiss Embassy in Ankara and the Consulate General in Istanbul were “temporarily closed to the public”. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the local representations are in contact with the Turkish authorities and the partner countries to assess the situation.
Other European countries also closed their representations in Istanbul on Wednesday because of the increased risk of attacks. These include the German and British consulates general and the Swedish embassy in Ankara and the consulate general, as the German news agency dpa reported.
“Big security risk”
After the most recent incidents in European capitals, such as a public burning of the Koran, “according to the security authorities”, the risk of terrorist attacks in Istanbul has increased, according to a statement by the German Foreign Office.
The risk is particularly high in the inner-city district of Beyoglu and around the central square of Taksim. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommended its citizens to be particularly vigilant and to avoid crowds and the areas mentioned as much as possible. “If you live there, limit your stay outside of the apartments to the essentials,” it said.
Already warned last week
Germany, Sweden, Norway and Denmark as well as the USA had already warned their citizens last week of an increased risk of attacks in Turkey. The USA tightened its warning on Monday and specified Istanbul.
Turkey, in turn, had warned its citizens of attacks in Europe and the USA and tightened security precautions in its own country. Background are several Islamophobic actions in Europe. In Sweden, a right-wing extremist had burned a copy of the Koran – the Holy Scriptures of Islam – in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.