The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formally requested that the U.S. Embassy in Colombo withdraw its recent travel advisory advising U.S. citizens to avoid travel to the Arugam Bay area until further notice.
According to reports, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath made this request in response to a warning issued by the U.S. Embassy on October 23, which cautioned of a potential attack targeting tourist locations, including Arugam Bay.
The advisory also urged U.S. citizens in Sri Lanka to avoid visiting the area due to heightened security concerns. Subsequently, several other nations have issued similar advisories to their citizens, encouraging caution and avoidance of certain areas.
In response, the Sri Lankan government has implemented enhanced security measures in these regions, deploying intelligence teams to continuously monitor the situation. Several individuals have already been apprehended as investigations continue.
On Sunday, Defense Secretary Sampath Thuyyakontha visited Arugam Bay to assess the situation, affirming that security has been significantly tightened in the area.
As of now, the U.S. Embassy has not issued a response to the Foreign Ministry’s request.
