The U.S. Embassy in Baku said on October 24 that it has received credible reports of potential terrorist attacks and kidnappings against U.S. citizens and foreign nationals in Baku, including against hotels such as the J.W. Marriott Absheron, as well as potentially other locations in Baku.  

The Embassy advises U.S. citizens to exercise heightened caution in locations where Americans or foreigners may gather.

A day earlier, a similar announcement from the U.S. Mission in Istanbul, Turkey said credible reports had been received of potential terrorist attacks and kidnappings against U.S. citizens and foreign nationals in Istanbul, including against the U.S. Consulate General, as well as potentially other locations in Turkey.  

A state department spokesperson told CNN that, “The information used to formulate Alerts is collected from a range of sources, such as crime statistics and other publicly-available information, information gathered from U.S. government sources, as well as assessments by our embassies and consulates."

In both Baku and Istanbul, the U.S. Missions asked U.S. citizens to take the following actions:

 ✓Exercise caution and remain vigilant.
✓Avoid crowds.
✓Keep a low profile.
✓Be aware of your surroundings.
✓Stay alert in locations frequented by foreigners.
✓Monitor local media for updates.