Maldives issues travel alert for Middle East

The government has advised the people to defer non-essential travel to Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen, Oman, Iraq and Iran due to ongoing civil unrest in these countries.

The government advised non-urgent travels until the security situation in those countries have stabilized.

Due to the volatile and uncertain situation in these countries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs called upon all Maldivians that are currently in these countries, to avoid all areas where protests and demonstrations may occur, as there is an extreme risk to their security.

The Ministry also called to depart these countries using commercial means, (upon individual assessment of the security conditions), before further deterioration of the situation.

They Foreign Ministry also asked all Maldivians currently in these countries to urgently register their details with the Ministry, so that the government can monitor their wellbeing and take measures available to extend any assistance.

In Libya, clashes between protesters and security forces have now snowballed throughout the country. News reports confirmed hundreds and hundreds of deaths. In Yemen, President Ali Abdullah Saleh offered to oversee a dialogue between the ruling party and the opposition to defuse the stand-off with protesters.

Protest actions continued to cool down in these as opposition groups working to present protesters' demands met to coordinate a response to the government's call for dialogue.