Sri Lanka requests U.S. to remove security alert on Arugam Bay

The Foreign Affairs Ministry has requested the U.S. Embassy to remove the security alert issued earlier asking its nationals to avoid the Arugam Bay area until further notice, a spokesperson said yesterday.

The U.S. Embassy issued the alert on October 23. It said, “The Embassy received credible information warning of an attack targeting popular tourist locations in the Arugam Bay area. Due to the serious risk posed by this threat, the Embassy imposed a travel restriction on Embassy personnel for Arugam Bay effective immediately and until further notice. U.S. citizens are strongly urged to avoid the Arugam Bay area until further notice.”

Following the U.S. security alert, Israel’s National Security Council called on Israelis to immediately leave some tourist areas in southern Sri Lanka over the threat of a possible terrorist attack.

The agency said the warning pertained to the area of Arugam Bay and beaches in the south and west of Sri Lanka and stemmed from "current information about a terrorist threat focused on tourist areas and beaches".

Afterwards, the Sri Lankan government took steps to beef up security in the country for tourism and briefed the diplomatic community based in Colombo in this regard. Six persons have also been arrested in Sri Lanka now over security threats.

Asked whether the Sri Lankan side has now requested the U.S. authorities to do away with the security alert, a spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that it had been done by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath.

Earlier, Defence Secretary Sampath Thuyacontha visited the Eastern Province on November 10, focusing specifically on the security situation in the Arugam Bay area.

During the visit, attention was drawn to the current security situation in the area and the Defence Secretary was briefed on the ongoing plan by local senior military and police officers. Accordingly, the Defence Secretary issued necessary instructions to the relevant officials on the measures to be taken to maintain the security of the area and other tourist sites in the country, according to the Ministry.

Meanwhile, earlier in response to a question by Daily Mirror on the government’s engagement with the U.S. authorities, a U.S. Embassy spokesperson said, “We are working closely with the Sri Lankan authorities.”