ANKARA, March 9 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Monday suspended consular services at its consulate in southern Türkiye and ordered non-emergency government personnel and their families to leave the post, citing safety concerns.
"There is no higher priority than the safety and security of American citizens for President Trump, Secretary of State Rubio, and the entire Department of State," the U.S. embassy in Türkiye said Monday in a statement posted on X.
The statement said the U.S. Department of State ordered non-emergency U.S. government employees and family members assigned to the U.S. Consulate General in Adana to depart "out of an abundance of caution" due to security risks.
The statement came amid heightened regional tensions following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran starting on Feb. 28, to which Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. assets across the Middle East. ■