Flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Mogadishu Seal

U.S. Embassy in Somalia

Side Navigation Logo

Do not travel to Somalia due to  COVID-19,   crime ,  terrorism ,  civil unrest, health issues, kidnapping,  and  piracy .

Read the Department of State’s  COVID-19  page before you plan any international travel.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a level 3 Travel Health Notice for Somalia due to COVID-19.

Travelers to Somalia may experience border closures, airport closures, travel prohibitions, stay at home orders, business closures, and other emergency conditions within Somalia due to COVID-19. Visit the Embassy’s  COVID-19 page  for more information on COVID-19 in Somalia.

Violent crime, such as kidnapping and murder, is common throughout Somalia, including Puntland and Somaliland. Illegal roadblocks are also widespread. A number of schools acting as “cultural rehabilitation” facilities are operating throughout Somalia with unknown licensing and oversight. Reports of physical abuse and people being held against their will in these facilities are common.

Terrorists continue to plot kidnappings, bombings, and other attacks in Somalia. They may conduct attacks with little or no warning, targeting airports and seaports, government buildings, hotels, restaurants, shopping areas, and other areas where large crowds gather and Westerners frequent, as well as government, military, and Western convoys. Methods of attack can include car bombs, suicide bombers, individual attackers, and mortar fire, among others.

Civil unrest occurs throughout Somalia and can sometimes be violent.

Medical facilities across Somalia have limited capacity and are often nonexistent in rural areas.

Pirates are active in the waters off the Horn of Africa, especially in the international waters near Somalia.

The U.S. government has extremely limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Somalia due to the lack of permanent consular presence in Somalia.

Due to risks to civil aviation operating within or in the vicinity of Somalia, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR). For more information U.S. citizens should consult  Federal Aviation Administration’s Prohibitions, Restrictions and Notices .

Read the  country information page .

If you decide to travel to Somalia:

  • See the  U.S. Embassy’s web page regarding COVID-19.
  • Visit the CDC’s webpage on  Travel and COVID-19 .
  • Review your personal security plan and visit our page on  Travel to High-Risk Areas .
  • Avoid sailing near the coast of Somalia and review the  Live Piracy Report published by the International Maritime Bureau.
  • Draft a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries and/or power of attorney.
  • Discuss a plan with loved ones regarding care/custody of children, pets, property, belongings, non-liquid assets (collections, artwork, etc.), funeral wishes, etc.
  • Share important documents, login information, and points of contact with loved ones so that they can manage your affairs, if you are unable to return as planned to the United States.  Find a suggested list of such documents here .
  • Establish your own personal security plan in coordination with your employer or host organization, or consider consulting with a professional security organization.
  • Develop a communication plan with family and/or your employer or host organization so that they can monitor your safety and location as you travel through high-risk areas. This plan should specify who you would contact first, and how they should share the information.
  • Identify key sources of possible assistance for you and your family in case of emergency, such as the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, FBI, the State Department, your employer (if traveling on business), and local friends/family in the high-risk area.
  • Be sure to appoint one family member to serve as the point of contact with hostage-takers, media, U.S. and host country government agencies, and Members of Congress, if you are taken hostage or detained.
  • Establish a proof of life protocol with your loved ones, so that if you are taken hostage, your loved ones can know specific questions (and answers) to ask the hostage-takers to be sure that you are alive (and to rule out a hoax)
  • Leave DNA samples with your medical provider in case it is necessary for your family to access them.
  • Erase any sensitive photos, comments, or other materials from your social media pages, cameras, laptops, and other electronic devices that could be considered controversial or provocative by local groups.
  • Leave your expensive/sentimental belongings behind.
  • Enroll your trip in the State Department’s  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) .
  • Follow the Department of State on  Facebook and  Twitter .
  • Review the  Crime and Safety Report for Somalia.

U.S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

travel warning for somalia

Yes, there is a process for both NIV and IV applicants to receive visas, even though the U.S. does not recognize Somali travel documents. Residents and citizens of Somalia wishing to travel to the U.S. on a Somali-issued travel document should see the Reciprocity Tables for more information on document availability.

For nonimmigrant visas, generally, the applicant will make an appointment at a convenient U.S. Embassy or Consulate and pay the application fee. The applicant will have an interview in-person with a consular officer, who will ask questions and review documentation to determine whether the applicant qualifies for a visa. After the interview, and any necessary administrative processing, if the applicant qualifies the U.S. Embassy or Consulate issues a visa. Applicants for immigrant visas, wishing to reside permanently in the U.S. must first be the beneficiary of a petition filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Petitions are most often based on family relationship or employment, but can also be self-generated by investors. After the petition is approved, the State Department’s National Visa Center notifies the beneficiaries to schedule an interview with a consular officer at an embassy or consulate. If the consular officer determines the applicant is qualified, and there are no security concerns, the U.S. Embassy or Consulate will issue an immigrant visa.

No. The procedures for processing visa applications may vary, but the same standards under U.S. law and policy apply at each U.S. Embassy and Consulate where one applies for a visa.

Current visa validities are based on reciprocity for Americans traveling to an applicant’s home country. Similarly, the visa validity for citizens of Somalia is based on type of visa and reciprocity for Americans traveling to those countries. To learn more see the Reciprocity Tables by country.

When you enter the U.S. on a student visa, you will usually be admitted for the duration of your student status. That means you may stay as long as you are a full time student, even if the F-1 visa in your passport expires while you are in America. For a student who has completed the course of studies shown on the I-20, and any authorized practical training, F-1 students are allowed an additional 60 days to prepare for departure from the U.S. or to transfer to another school.

Use up to three keywords instead of using a full sentence for the best search results.

product warranty

free shipping offer

Would you help us improve our website

Note: This feature is strictly for feedback about your experience using the website. All other questions and feedback will be disregarded. Thank you for your understanding. You are visiting a website that just underwent a redesign. Please take a few moments to provide us with your valuable feedback.

Note: This feature is strictly for feedback about your experience using the website.

Please take a few moments to provide us with your valuable feedback. Note: This feature is strictly for feedback about your experience using the website. All other questions and feedback will be disregarded.

{{ error }}

* Please see our Contact Us page for more information on how to reach us.

Thank you for sharing your feedback!

Please call: 254 020 363 6451

Outside of Office Hours, contact: 254 020 363 6451

Outside of Somalia: 254 020 363 6451

Caution October 19, 2023

Worldwide caution, update january 10, 2024, information for u.s. citizens in the middle east.

  • Travel Advisories |
  • Contact Us |
  • MyTravelGov |

Find U.S. Embassies & Consulates

Travel.state.gov, congressional liaison, special issuance agency, u.s. passports, international travel, intercountry adoption, international parental child abduction, records and authentications, popular links, travel advisories, mytravelgov, stay connected, legal resources, legal information, info for u.s. law enforcement, replace or certify documents.

Share this page:

Learn about your destination

Take 90 seconds for safer travel.

Travel Advisory Levels

Enroll in step.

Enroll in STEP

Subscribe to get up-to-date safety and security information and help us reach you in an emergency abroad.

Recommended Web Browsers: Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome.

External Link

You are about to leave travel.state.gov for an external website that is not maintained by the U.S. Department of State.

Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message.

You are about to visit:

You are using an outdated browser. Upgrade your browser today or install Google Chrome Frame to better experience this site.

Somalia Traveler View

Travel health notices, vaccines and medicines, non-vaccine-preventable diseases, stay healthy and safe.

  • Packing List

After Your Trip

Map - Somalia

Be aware of current health issues in Somalia. Learn how to protect yourself.

Level 2 Practice Enhanced Precautions

  • Global Polio January 05, 2024 Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Destination List: Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Guinea, Indonesia, Israel, including the West Bank and Gaza, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, including Zanzibar, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Level 1 Practice Usual Precautions

  • Global Measles November 20, 2023 Many international destinations are reporting increased numbers of cases of measles. Destination List: Afghanistan, Angola, Armenia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Republic of South Sudan, Republic of the Congo, Romania, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

⇧ Top

Check the vaccines and medicines list and visit your doctor at least a month before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need. If you or your doctor need help finding a location that provides certain vaccines or medicines, visit the Find a Clinic page.

Routine vaccines

Recommendations.

Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Some of these vaccines include

  • Chickenpox (Varicella)
  • Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
  • Flu (influenza)
  • Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)

Immunization schedules

All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Please see  Your COVID-19 Vaccination  for more information. 

COVID-19 vaccine

Active cholera transmission is  widespread  in Somalia. Cholera is rare in travelers.  Certain factors  may increase the risk of getting cholera or having severe disease ( more information ). Avoiding unsafe food and water and washing your hands can also help prevent cholera.

Vaccination may be considered for children and adults who are traveling to areas of active cholera transmission.

Cholera - CDC Yellow Book

Hepatitis A

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to Somalia.

Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. The dose does not count toward the routine 2-dose series.

Travelers allergic to a vaccine component or who are younger than 6 months should receive a single dose of immune globulin, which provides effective protection for up to 2 months depending on dosage given.

Unvaccinated travelers who are over 40 years old, immunocompromised, or have chronic medical conditions planning to depart to a risk area in less than 2 weeks should get the initial dose of vaccine and at the same appointment receive immune globulin.

Hepatitis A - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep A

Hepatitis B

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers of all ages traveling to Somalia.

Hepatitis B - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep B

CDC recommends that travelers going to Somalia take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip. Talk to your doctor about which malaria medication you should take.

Find  country-specific information  about malaria.

Malaria - CDC Yellow Book

Considerations when choosing a drug for malaria prophylaxis (CDC Yellow Book)

Malaria information for Somalia.

Infants 6 to 11 months old traveling internationally should get 1 dose of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine before travel. This dose does not count as part of the routine childhood vaccination series.

Measles (Rubeola) - CDC Yellow Book

In Somalia poliovirus has been identified in the past year.

Travelers to Somalia are at increased risk of exposure to poliovirus.

Vaccine recommendations : Adults traveling to Somalia who received a complete polio vaccination series as children may receive a single lifetime booster dose of inactivated polio vaccine; travelers who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated should receive a complete polio vaccination series before travel. Children who are not fully vaccinated will be considered for an  accelerated vaccination schedule .

Polio - CDC Yellow Book

Polio: For Travelers

Rabid dogs are commonly found in Somalia. If you are bitten or scratched by a dog or other mammal while in Somalia, there may be limited or no rabies treatment available. 

Consider rabies vaccination before your trip if your activities mean you will be around dogs or wildlife.

Travelers more likely to encounter rabid animals include

  • Campers, adventure travelers, or cave explorers (spelunkers)
  • Veterinarians, animal handlers, field biologists, or laboratory workers handling animal specimens
  • Visitors to rural areas

Since children are more likely to be bitten or scratched by a dog or other animals, consider rabies vaccination for children traveling to Somalia. 

Rabies - CDC Yellow Book

Recommended for most travelers, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas.

Typhoid - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Typhoid

Yellow Fever

Generally not recommended for travel to the regions of Bakool, Banaadir, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan (also spelled Hiran), Lower Juba (also known as Jubbada Hoose), Middle Juba (also known as Jubbada Dhexe), Lower Shabelle (also known as Shabeellaha Hoose), or Middle Shabelle (also known as Shabeellaha Dhexe). Not recommended for travel to areas not listed above.

Yellow Fever - CDC Yellow Book

  • Avoid contaminated water

Leptospirosis

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)

  • Touching urine or other body fluids from an animal infected with leptospirosis
  • Swimming or wading in urine-contaminated fresh water, or contact with urine-contaminated mud
  • Drinking water or eating food contaminated with animal urine
  • Avoid contaminated water and soil

Clinical Guidance

Schistosomiasis

  • Wading, swimming, bathing, or washing in contaminated freshwater streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, or untreated pools.

Avoid bug bites

African tick-bite fever.

  • Avoid Bug Bites

African Tick-bite fever

Chikungunya

  • Mosquito bite
  • Mosquito bite

Leishmaniasis

  • Sand fly bite

Airborne & droplet

  • Breathing in air or accidentally eating food contaminated with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents
  • Bite from an infected rodent
  • Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus (only occurs with Andes virus)
  • Avoid rodents and areas where they live
  • Avoid sick people

Tuberculosis (TB)

  • Breathe in TB bacteria that is in the air from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.

Learn actions you can take to stay healthy and safe on your trip. Vaccines cannot protect you from many diseases in Somalia, so your behaviors are important.

Eat and drink safely

Food and water standards around the world vary based on the destination. Standards may also differ within a country and risk may change depending on activity type (e.g., hiking versus business trip). You can learn more about safe food and drink choices when traveling by accessing the resources below.

  • Choose Safe Food and Drinks When Traveling
  • Water Treatment Options When Hiking, Camping or Traveling
  • Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene | Healthy Water
  • Avoid Contaminated Water During Travel

You can also visit the Department of State Country Information Pages for additional information about food and water safety.

Prevent bug bites

Bugs (like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas) can spread a number of diseases in Somalia. Many of these diseases cannot be prevented with a vaccine or medicine. You can reduce your risk by taking steps to prevent bug bites.

What can I do to prevent bug bites?

  • Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats.
  • Use an appropriate insect repellent (see below).
  • Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents). Do not use permethrin directly on skin.
  • Stay and sleep in air-conditioned or screened rooms.
  • Use a bed net if the area where you are sleeping is exposed to the outdoors.

What type of insect repellent should I use?

  • FOR PROTECTION AGAINST TICKS AND MOSQUITOES: Use a repellent that contains 20% or more DEET for protection that lasts up to several hours.
  • Picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin)
  • Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD)
  • 2-undecanone
  • Always use insect repellent as directed.

What should I do if I am bitten by bugs?

  • Avoid scratching bug bites, and apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to reduce the itching.
  • Check your entire body for ticks after outdoor activity. Be sure to remove ticks properly.

What can I do to avoid bed bugs?

Although bed bugs do not carry disease, they are an annoyance. See our information page about avoiding bug bites for some easy tips to avoid them. For more information on bed bugs, see Bed Bugs .

For more detailed information on avoiding bug bites, see Avoid Bug Bites .

Stay safe outdoors

If your travel plans in Somalia include outdoor activities, take these steps to stay safe and healthy during your trip.

  • Stay alert to changing weather conditions and adjust your plans if conditions become unsafe.
  • Prepare for activities by wearing the right clothes and packing protective items, such as bug spray, sunscreen, and a basic first aid kit.
  • Consider learning basic first aid and CPR before travel. Bring a travel health kit with items appropriate for your activities.
  • If you are outside for many hours in heat, eat salty snacks and drink water to stay hydrated and replace salt lost through sweating.
  • Protect yourself from UV radiation : use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, wear protective clothing, and seek shade during the hottest time of day (10 a.m.–4 p.m.).
  • Be especially careful during summer months and at high elevation. Because sunlight reflects off snow, sand, and water, sun exposure may be increased during activities like skiing, swimming, and sailing.
  • Very cold temperatures can be dangerous. Dress in layers and cover heads, hands, and feet properly if you are visiting a cold location.

Stay safe around water

  • Swim only in designated swimming areas. Obey lifeguards and warning flags on beaches.
  • Practice safe boating—follow all boating safety laws, do not drink alcohol if driving a boat, and always wear a life jacket.
  • Do not dive into shallow water.
  • Do not swim in freshwater in developing areas or where sanitation is poor.
  • Avoid swallowing water when swimming. Untreated water can carry germs that make you sick.
  • To prevent infections, wear shoes on beaches where there may be animal waste.

Schistosomiasis, a parasitic infection that can be spread in fresh water, is found in Somalia. Avoid swimming in fresh, unchlorinated water, such as lakes, ponds, or rivers.

Keep away from animals

Most animals avoid people, but they may attack if they feel threatened, are protecting their young or territory, or if they are injured or ill. Animal bites and scratches can lead to serious diseases such as rabies.

Follow these tips to protect yourself:

  • Do not touch or feed any animals you do not know.
  • Do not allow animals to lick open wounds, and do not get animal saliva in your eyes or mouth.
  • Avoid rodents and their urine and feces.
  • Traveling pets should be supervised closely and not allowed to come in contact with local animals.
  • If you wake in a room with a bat, seek medical care immediately. Bat bites may be hard to see.

All animals can pose a threat, but be extra careful around dogs, bats, monkeys, sea animals such as jellyfish, and snakes. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal, immediately:

  • Wash the wound with soap and clean water.
  • Go to a doctor right away.
  • Tell your doctor about your injury when you get back to the United States.

Consider buying medical evacuation insurance. Rabies is a deadly disease that must be treated quickly, and treatment may not be available in some countries.

Reduce your exposure to germs

Follow these tips to avoid getting sick or spreading illness to others while traveling:

  • Wash your hands often, especially before eating.
  • If soap and water aren’t available, clean hands with hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol).
  • Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. If you need to touch your face, make sure your hands are clean.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
  • Try to avoid contact with people who are sick.
  • If you are sick, stay home or in your hotel room, unless you need medical care.

Avoid sharing body fluids

Diseases can be spread through body fluids, such as saliva, blood, vomit, and semen.

Protect yourself:

  • Use latex condoms correctly.
  • Do not inject drugs.
  • Limit alcohol consumption. People take more risks when intoxicated.
  • Do not share needles or any devices that can break the skin. That includes needles for tattoos, piercings, and acupuncture.
  • If you receive medical or dental care, make sure the equipment is disinfected or sanitized.

Know how to get medical care while traveling

Plan for how you will get health care during your trip, should the need arise:

  • Carry a list of local doctors and hospitals at your destination.
  • Review your health insurance plan to determine what medical services it would cover during your trip. Consider purchasing travel health and medical evacuation insurance.
  • Carry a card that identifies, in the local language, your blood type, chronic conditions or serious allergies, and the generic names of any medications you take.
  • Some prescription drugs may be illegal in other countries. Call Somalia’s embassy to verify that all of your prescription(s) are legal to bring with you.
  • Bring all the medicines (including over-the-counter medicines) you think you might need during your trip, including extra in case of travel delays. Ask your doctor to help you get prescriptions filled early if you need to.

Many foreign hospitals and clinics are accredited by the Joint Commission International. A list of accredited facilities is available at their website ( www.jointcommissioninternational.org ).

In some countries, medicine (prescription and over-the-counter) may be substandard or counterfeit. Bring the medicines you will need from the United States to avoid having to buy them at your destination.

Malaria is a risk in Somalia. Fill your malaria prescription before you leave and take enough with you for the entire length of your trip. Follow your doctor’s instructions for taking the pills; some need to be started before you leave.

Select safe transportation

Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of healthy US citizens in foreign countries.

In many places cars, buses, large trucks, rickshaws, bikes, people on foot, and even animals share the same lanes of traffic, increasing the risk for crashes.

Be smart when you are traveling on foot.

  • Use sidewalks and marked crosswalks.
  • Pay attention to the traffic around you, especially in crowded areas.
  • Remember, people on foot do not always have the right of way in other countries.

Riding/Driving

Choose a safe vehicle.

  • Choose official taxis or public transportation, such as trains and buses.
  • Ride only in cars that have seatbelts.
  • Avoid overcrowded, overloaded, top-heavy buses and minivans.
  • Avoid riding on motorcycles or motorbikes, especially motorbike taxis. (Many crashes are caused by inexperienced motorbike drivers.)
  • Choose newer vehicles—they may have more safety features, such as airbags, and be more reliable.
  • Choose larger vehicles, which may provide more protection in crashes.

Think about the driver.

  • Do not drive after drinking alcohol or ride with someone who has been drinking.
  • Consider hiring a licensed, trained driver familiar with the area.
  • Arrange payment before departing.

Follow basic safety tips.

  • Wear a seatbelt at all times.
  • Sit in the back seat of cars and taxis.
  • When on motorbikes or bicycles, always wear a helmet. (Bring a helmet from home, if needed.)
  • Avoid driving at night; street lighting in certain parts of Somalia may be poor.
  • Do not use a cell phone or text while driving (illegal in many countries).
  • Travel during daylight hours only, especially in rural areas.
  • If you choose to drive a vehicle in Somalia, learn the local traffic laws and have the proper paperwork.
  • Get any driving permits and insurance you may need. Get an International Driving Permit (IDP). Carry the IDP and a US-issued driver's license at all times.
  • Check with your auto insurance policy's international coverage, and get more coverage if needed. Make sure you have liability insurance.
  • Avoid using local, unscheduled aircraft.
  • If possible, fly on larger planes (more than 30 seats); larger airplanes are more likely to have regular safety inspections.
  • Try to schedule flights during daylight hours and in good weather.

Medical Evacuation Insurance

If you are seriously injured, emergency care may not be available or may not meet US standards. Trauma care centers are uncommon outside urban areas. Having medical evacuation insurance can be helpful for these reasons.

Helpful Resources

Road Safety Overseas (Information from the US Department of State): Includes tips on driving in other countries, International Driving Permits, auto insurance, and other resources.

The Association for International Road Travel has country-specific Road Travel Reports available for most countries for a minimal fee.

Maintain personal security

Use the same common sense traveling overseas that you would at home, and always stay alert and aware of your surroundings.

Before you leave

  • Research your destination(s), including local laws, customs, and culture.
  • Monitor travel advisories and alerts and read travel tips from the US Department of State.
  • Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) .
  • Leave a copy of your itinerary, contact information, credit cards, and passport with someone at home.
  • Pack as light as possible, and leave at home any item you could not replace.

While at your destination(s)

  • Carry contact information for the nearest US embassy or consulate .
  • Carry a photocopy of your passport and entry stamp; leave the actual passport securely in your hotel.
  • Follow all local laws and social customs.
  • Do not wear expensive clothing or jewelry.
  • Always keep hotel doors locked, and store valuables in secure areas.
  • If possible, choose hotel rooms between the 2nd and 6th floors.

Healthy Travel Packing List

Use the Healthy Travel Packing List for Somalia for a list of health-related items to consider packing for your trip. Talk to your doctor about which items are most important for you.

Why does CDC recommend packing these health-related items?

It’s best to be prepared to prevent and treat common illnesses and injuries. Some supplies and medicines may be difficult to find at your destination, may have different names, or may have different ingredients than what you normally use.

If you are not feeling well after your trip, you may need to see a doctor. If you need help finding a travel medicine specialist, see Find a Clinic . Be sure to tell your doctor about your travel, including where you went and what you did on your trip. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling.

If your doctor prescribed antimalarial medicine for your trip, keep taking the rest of your pills after you return home. If you stop taking your medicine too soon, you could still get sick.

Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness. If you become ill with a fever either while traveling in a malaria-risk area or after you return home (for up to 1 year), you should seek immediate medical attention and should tell the doctor about your travel history.

For more information on what to do if you are sick after your trip, see Getting Sick after Travel .

Map Disclaimer - The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on maps do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement are generally marked.

Other Destinations

If you need help finding travel information:

Message & data rates may apply. CDC Privacy Policy

File Formats Help:

  • Adobe PDF file
  • Microsoft PowerPoint file
  • Microsoft Word file
  • Microsoft Excel file
  • Audio/Video file
  • Apple Quicktime file
  • RealPlayer file
  • Zip Archive file

Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
  • Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
  • You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
  • CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website.
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to "About this site"

Language selection

Search travel.gc.ca.

Help us to improve our website. Take our survey !

COVID-19: travel health notice for all travellers

Somalia travel advice

Latest updates: Editorial change

Last updated: January 9, 2024 09:21 ET

On this page

Safety and security, entry and exit requirements, laws and culture, natural disasters and climate, somalia - avoid all travel.

Avoid all travel to Somalia. If you are currently in Somalia despite this advisory, you should leave immediately.

The security situation in Somalia is extremely volatile and the threat of domestic terrorism is high, particularly in south-central Somalia and in the capital, Mogadishu.

Back to top

There is no resident Canadian government office in Somalia; therefore, the Government of Canada can’t provide consular assistance to you if you are in distress in Somalia. If so, you will have to make your way to the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate or rely on your own resources.

The rule of law is virtually non-existent. Violent demonstrations, suicide bombings, attacks and military activity occur regularly. The current situation represents a very serious threat to travellers. Be aware that anti-Western sentiment may at times be strong. Foreign travellers, including journalists, human rights activists and humanitarian workers, are at very high risk of kidnapping, murder and arrest without notice or apparent cause. 

If you choose to travel to Somalia despite this advisory, you may have difficulty in departing the country.

Political situation

The political situation is unpredictable, especially in Mogadishu.

Clashes between security forces and protesters have occurred. There has also been an increase in attacks within the capital, resulting in civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.

Similar incidents could occur without warning. Demonstrations could also occur and turn violent at any time.

If you are in Somalia:

  • monitor the local media to stay informed on the evolving situation
  • follow the advice of local authorities

There is a threat of terrorism, particularly in south-central Somalia and in the capital, Mogadishu. Fighting over the control of these areas between the government (supported by international troops), and terrorist groups has been ongoing. Attacks against government targets involving the use of heavy weapons are frequent, particularly in Mogadishu. Civilian casualties are not uncommon. Further attacks are likely.  

Targets could include:

  • government buildings, including schools
  • places of worship
  • airports and other transportation hubs and networks
  • public areas such as tourist attractions, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, shopping centres, markets, hotels and other sites frequented by foreigners

High-profile events could also be targeted

Always be aware of your surroundings when in public places.

Somaliland and Puntland

Somaliland (a self-declared republic seeking independence) and Puntland (an administrative region in the northeast) have remained more stable than the south-central part of the country. Nonetheless, violent attacks on foreign targets have occurred in these regions.

Inter-clan conflicts often erupt into fighting in the Sanaag and Sool regions of Somaliland along the border with Puntland. Tensions and violence in the south of the country could spread to Somaliland and Puntland at any time.

Kidnappings

Foreigners are at very high risk of being kidnapped throughout Somalia, including in Somaliland. Several Westerners, including humanitarian workers, have been kidnapped.

There are high levels of crime conducted by armed militias throughout the country. Armed robberies, carjackings and murders occur regularly.

Demonstrations

Demonstrations take place frequently and can turn violent at any time.

  • Avoid areas where demonstrations and large gatherings are taking place
  • Follow the instructions of local authorities
  • Monitor local media for information on ongoing demonstrations

Mass gatherings (large-scale events)

Border closures

The land border between Kenya and Somalia remains closed and air traffic between the two countries is subject to special procedures by the Kenyan government.

Mogadishu Aden Adde International Airport is often closed with little or no warning due to fighting.

Tourist facilities

Tourist facilities are not available.

Electricity and water provisions are not assured.

International telephone services and Internet access are limited to larger cities, where services are unreliable.

Pirate attacks and armed robbery against ships occur in coastal waters. Mariners should take appropriate precautions.

Live piracy report - International Maritime Bureau

We do not make assessments on the compliance of foreign domestic airlines with international safety standards.

Information about foreign domestic airlines

Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from the Somalian authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the  Foreign Representatives in Canada .

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you use for travel.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country’s entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid upon entry.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Other travel documents

Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

  • Foreign Representatives in Canada
  • Canadian passports

You need a visa to visit those areas under the authority of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), Somaliland and Puntland.

To visit areas under the authority of the TFG : you should obtain, in advance, a visa from the Embassy of Somali Republic in Kenya.

To visit Somaliland and Puntland direct your visa inquiries to the person/organization you will be visiting, as there is no office in Kenya to issue these visas.

Children and travel

Learn more about travelling with children .

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).

Relevant Travel Health Notices

  • Global Measles Notice - 31 August, 2023
  • Polio: Advice for travellers - 4 January, 2024
  • COVID-19 and International Travel - 31 August, 2023

This section contains information on possible health risks and restrictions regularly found or ongoing in the destination. Follow this advice to lower your risk of becoming ill while travelling. Not all risks are listed below.

Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic preferably 6 weeks before you travel to get personalized health advice and recommendations.

Routine vaccines

Be sure that your  routine vaccinations , as per your province or territory , are up-to-date before travelling, regardless of your destination.

Some of these vaccinations include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chickenpox), influenza and others.

Pre-travel vaccines and medications

You may be at risk for preventable diseases while travelling in this destination. Talk to a travel health professional about which medications or vaccines may be right for you, based on your destination and itinerary. 

There is a risk of hepatitis A in this destination. It is a disease of the liver. People can get hepatitis A if they ingest contaminated food or water, eat foods prepared by an infectious person, or if they have close physical contact (such as oral-anal sex) with an infectious person, although casual contact among people does not spread the virus.

Practise  safe food and water precautions and wash your hands often. Vaccination is recommended for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present.

Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease that is caused by parasites spread through the bites of mosquitoes.

Malaria is a risk to travellers to this destination.   Antimalarial medication is recommended for most travellers to this destination and should be taken as recommended. Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic before travelling to discuss your options. It is recommended to do this 6 weeks before travel, however, it is still a good idea any time before leaving.    Protect yourself from mosquito bites at all times: 

  • Cover your skin and use an approved insect repellent on uncovered skin.
  • Exclude mosquitoes from your living area with screening and/or closed, well-sealed doors and windows.
  • Use insecticide-treated bed nets if mosquitoes cannot be excluded from your living area.
  • Wear permethrin-treated clothing. 

 If you develop symptoms similar to malaria when you are travelling or up to a year after you return home, see a health care professional immediately. Tell them where you have been travelling or living. 

Yellow fever   is a disease caused by a flavivirus from the bite of an infected mosquito.

Travellers get vaccinated either because it is required to enter a country or because it is recommended for their protection.

  • There is low potential for yellow fever exposure in this country.

Country Entry Requirement*

  • Proof of vaccination is required if you are coming from a country   where yellow fever occurs.

Recommendation

  • Vaccination may be recommended depending on your itinerary.
  • Contact a designated  Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre  well in advance of your trip to arrange for vaccination.
  • Discuss travel plans, activities, and destinations with a health care professional.
  • Protect yourself from mosquito bites .

About Yellow Fever

Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres in Canada * It is important to note that  country entry requirements  may not reflect your risk of yellow fever at your destination. It is recommended that you contact the nearest  diplomatic or consular office  of the destination(s) you will be visiting to verify any additional entry requirements.

In this destination, rabies is commonly carried by dogs and some wildlife, including bats. Rabies is a deadly disease that spreads to humans primarily through bites or scratches from an infected animal. While travelling, take precautions , including keeping your distance from animals (including free-roaming dogs), and closely supervising children.

If you are bitten or scratched by a dog or other animal while travelling, immediately wash the wound with soap and clean water and see a health care professional. In this destination, rabies treatment may be limited or may not be available, therefore you may need to return to Canada for treatment.  

Before travel, discuss rabies vaccination with a health care professional. It may be recommended for travellers who are at high risk of exposure (e.g., occupational risk such as veterinarians and wildlife workers, children, adventure travellers and spelunkers, and others in close contact with animals). 

Polio (poliomyelitis) is an infectious disease that can be prevented by vaccination. It is caused by poliovirus type 1, 2 or 3. Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus 2 (cVDPV2) is present in this country. Polio is spread from person to person and through contaminated food and water. Infection with the polio virus can cause paralysis and death in individuals of any age who are not immune.

Recommendations:

  • Be sure that your polio vaccinations are up to date before travelling. Polio is part of the routine vaccine schedule for children in Canada.
  • One booster dose of the polio vaccine is recommended as an adult .

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It can spread quickly from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk of being infected with it when travelling internationally.

Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are fully protected against measles.

  Hepatitis B is a risk in every destination. It is a viral liver disease that is easily transmitted from one person to another through exposure to blood and body fluids containing the hepatitis B virus.  Travellers who may be exposed to blood or other bodily fluids (e.g., through sexual contact, medical treatment, sharing needles, tattooing, acupuncture or occupational exposure) are at higher risk of getting hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all travellers. Prevent hepatitis B infection by practicing safe sex, only using new and sterile drug equipment, and only getting tattoos and piercings in settings that follow public health regulations and standards.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious viral disease. It can spread from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

It is recommended that all eligible travellers complete a COVID-19 vaccine series along with any additional recommended doses in Canada before travelling. Evidence shows that vaccines are very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. While vaccination provides better protection against serious illness, you may still be at risk of infection from the virus that causes COVID-19. Anyone who has not completed a vaccine series is at increased risk of being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and is at greater risk for severe disease when travelling internationally.

Before travelling, verify your destination’s COVID-19 vaccination entry/exit requirements. Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are adequately protected against COVID-19.

 The best way to protect yourself from seasonal influenza (flu) is to get vaccinated every year. Get the flu shot at least 2 weeks before travelling.  

 The flu occurs worldwide. 

  •  In the Northern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs from November to   April.
  •  In the Southern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs between April and   October.
  •  In the tropics, there is flu activity year round. 

The flu vaccine available in one hemisphere may only offer partial protection against the flu in the other hemisphere.

The flu virus spreads from person to person when they cough or sneeze or by touching objects and surfaces that have been contaminated with the virus. Clean your hands often and wear a mask if you have a fever or respiratory symptoms.

Safe food and water precautions

Many illnesses can be caused by eating food or drinking beverages contaminated by bacteria, parasites, toxins, or viruses, or by swimming or bathing in contaminated water.

  • Learn more about food and water precautions to take to avoid getting sick by visiting our eat and drink safely abroad page. Remember: Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!
  • Avoid getting water into your eyes, mouth or nose when swimming or participating in activities in freshwater (streams, canals, lakes), particularly after flooding or heavy rain. Water may look clean but could still be polluted or contaminated.
  • Avoid inhaling or swallowing water while bathing, showering, or swimming in pools or hot tubs. 

Cholera is a risk in parts of this country. Most travellers are at very low risk.

To protect against cholera, all travellers should practise safe food and water precautions .

Travellers at higher risk of getting cholera include those:

  • visiting, working or living in areas with limited access to safe food, water and proper sanitation
  • visiting areas where outbreaks are occurring

Vaccination may be recommended for high-risk travellers, and should be discussed with a health care professional.

Travellers' diarrhea is the most common illness affecting travellers. It is spread from eating or drinking contaminated food or water.

Risk of developing travellers' diarrhea increases when travelling in regions with poor standards of hygiene and sanitation. Practise safe food and water precautions.

The most important treatment for travellers' diarrhea is rehydration (drinking lots of fluids). Carry oral rehydration salts when travelling.

Typhoid   is a bacterial infection spread by contaminated food or water. Risk is higher among children, travellers going to rural areas, travellers visiting friends and relatives or those travelling for a long period of time.

Travellers visiting regions with a risk of typhoid, especially those exposed to places with poor sanitation, should speak to a health care professional about vaccination.  

There is a risk of schistosomiasis in this destination. Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by tiny worms (blood flukes) which can be found in freshwater (lakes, rivers, ponds, and wetlands). The worms can break the skin, and their eggs can cause stomach pain, diarrhea, flu-like symptoms, or urinary problems. Schistosomiasis mostly affects underdeveloped and r ural communities, particularly agricultural and fishing communities.

Most travellers are at low risk. Travellers should avoid contact with untreated freshwater such as lakes, rivers, and ponds (e.g., swimming, bathing, wading, ingesting). There is no vaccine or medication available to prevent infection.

Insect bite prevention

Many diseases are spread by the bites of infected insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas or flies. When travelling to areas where infected insects may be present:

  • Use insect repellent (bug spray) on exposed skin
  • Cover up with light-coloured, loose clothes made of tightly woven materials such as nylon or polyester
  • Minimize exposure to insects
  • Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in buildings that are not fully enclosed

To learn more about how you can reduce your risk of infection and disease caused by bites, both at home and abroad, visit our insect bite prevention page.

Find out what types of insects are present where you’re travelling, when they’re most active, and the symptoms of the diseases they spread.

There is a risk of chikungunya in this country.  The risk may vary between regions of a country.  Chikungunya is a virus spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. Chikungunya can cause a viral disease that typically causes fever and pain in the joints. In some cases, the joint pain can be severe and last for months or years.

Protect yourself from mosquito bites at all times. There is no vaccine available for chikungunya.

Visceral  leishmaniasis   (or kala azar) affects the bone marrow and internal organs. It is caused by a parasite spread through the bite of a female sandfly. It can also be transmitted by blood transfusion or sharing contaminated needles. If left untreated it can cause death. Risk is generally low for most travellers. Protect yourself from sandfly bites, which typically occur after sunset in rural and forested areas and in some urban centres. There is no vaccine or medication to protect against leishmaniasis.

  • In this country,   dengue  is a risk to travellers. It is a viral disease spread to humans by mosquito bites.
  • Dengue can cause flu-like symptoms. In some cases, it can lead to severe dengue, which can be fatal.
  • The level of risk of dengue changes seasonally, and varies from year to year. The level of risk also varies between regions in a country and can depend on the elevation in the region.
  • Mosquitoes carrying dengue typically bite during the daytime, particularly around sunrise and sunset.
  • Protect yourself from mosquito bites . There is no vaccine or medication that protects against dengue.

Rift Valley fever is a viral disease that can cause severe flu-like symptoms. In some cases, it can be fatal. It is spread to humans through contact with infected animal blood or tissues, from the bite of an infected mosquito, or eating or drinking unpasteurized dairy. Risk is generally low for most travellers. Protect yourself from insect bites and avoid animals, particularly livestock, and unpasteurized dairy. There is no vaccine available for Rift Valley fever.

Animal precautions

Some infections, such as rabies and influenza, can be shared between humans and animals. Certain types of activities may increase your chance of contact with animals, such as travelling in rural or forested areas, camping, hiking, and visiting wet markets (places where live animals are slaughtered and sold) or caves.

Travellers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including dogs, livestock (pigs, cows), monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats, and to avoid eating undercooked wild game.

Closely supervise children, as they are more likely to come in contact with animals.

Person-to-person infections

Stay home if you’re sick and practise proper cough and sneeze etiquette , which includes coughing or sneezing into a tissue or the bend of your arm, not your hand. Reduce your risk of colds, the flu and other illnesses by:

  •   washing your hands often
  • avoiding or limiting the amount of time spent in closed spaces, crowded places, or at large-scale events (concerts, sporting events, rallies)
  • avoiding close physical contact with people who may be showing symptoms of illness 

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) , HIV , and mpox are spread through blood and bodily fluids; use condoms, practise safe sex, and limit your number of sexual partners. Check with your local public health authority pre-travel to determine your eligibility for mpox vaccine.  

Tuberculosis is an infection caused by bacteria and usually affects the lungs.

For most travellers the risk of tuberculosis is low.

Travellers who may be at high risk while travelling in regions with risk of tuberculosis should discuss pre- and post-travel options with a health care professional.

High-risk travellers include those visiting or working in prisons, refugee camps, homeless shelters, or hospitals, or travellers visiting friends and relatives.

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)   is a virus that attacks and impairs the immune system, resulting in a chronic, progressive illness known as AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). 

High risk activities include anything which puts you in contact with blood or body fluids, such as unprotected sex and exposure to unsterilized needles for medications or other substances (for example, steroids and drugs), tattooing, body-piercing or acupuncture.

Medical services and facilities

There are virtually no health facilities or medicines available in Somalia. You must be completely self-sufficient.

Make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays.

Travel health and safety

Keep in Mind...

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety.

Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a   travel health kit , especially if you will be travelling away from major city centres.

You must abide by local laws.

Learn about what you should do and how we can help if you are arrested or detained abroad .

In 2024, the lunar month of Ramadan is expected to begin on or around March 10.

In public, between sunrise and sunset, refrain from:

2SLGBTQI+ travellers

Somalian law prohibits sexual acts between individuals of the same sex.

2SLGBTQI+ travellers should carefully consider the risks of travelling to Somalia.

Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics

Forced marriage

Forced marriage affecting foreigners occur. It sometimes occurs without the affected person’s prior knowledge or consent.

Parents, relatives and the community may use relentless pressure and emotional blackmail, threatening behaviour, abduction, imprisonment and physical violence to coerce young people to enter into marriage. While both men and women experience forced marriage, it is a form of violence most commonly perpetrated against women and girls. People have been unable to return to Canada because their passports and money have been withheld by family members.

  • General information and advice about forced marriage
  • Safe travel guide for women

Dual citizenship

Dual citizenship is legally recognized in Somalia.

If you are a Canadian citizen, but also a citizen of Somalia, our ability to offer you consular services may be limited while you're there. You may also be subject to different entry/exit requirements .

Travellers with dual citizenship

International Child Abduction

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an international treaty. It can help parents with the return of children who have been removed to or retained in certain countries in violation of custody rights. It does not apply between Canada and Somalia.

If your child was wrongfully taken to, or is being held in Somalia by an abducting parent:

  • act as quickly as you can
  • consult a lawyer in Canada and in Somalia to explore all the legal options for the return of your child
  • report the situation to the nearest Canadian government office abroad or to the Vulnerable Children’s Consular Unit at Global Affairs Canada by calling the Emergency Watch and Response Centre.

If your child was removed from a country other than Canada, consult a lawyer to determine if The Hague Convention applies.

Be aware that Canadian consular officials cannot interfere in private legal matters or in another country’s judicial affairs.

  • International Child Abduction: A Guidebook for Left-Behind Parents
  • Travelling with children
  • Canadian embassies and consulates by destination
  • Emergency Watch and Response Centre

The currency is the Somali shilling (SOS), except in Somaliland, which uses the Somaliland shilling. U.S. dollars are widely accepted. Credit cards and traveller’s cheques are not accepted in Somalia, and there are no automated banking machines (ABMs).

The climate in Somalia is very hot and dry. However, a monsoon season extends from May to October in the southwest and from December to February in the northeast. There are also short rainy seasons in other parts of the country. Keep informed of regional weather forecasts and plan accordingly.

Local services

There is no centralized number to reach emergency services. Research and carry contact information for local police and medical facilities.

Consular assistance

There is no resident Canadian government office in Somalia. You can obtain consular assistance and further consular information from the High Commission of Canada in Kenya, in Nairobi.

Burundi, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda

For emergency consular assistance, call the High Commission of Canada in Kenya, in Nairobi, and follow the instructions. At any time, you may also contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.

The decision to travel is your choice and you are responsible for your personal safety abroad. We take the safety and security of Canadians abroad very seriously and provide credible and timely information in our Travel Advice to enable you to make well-informed decisions regarding your travel abroad.

The content on this page is provided for information only. While we make every effort to give you correct information, it is provided on an "as is" basis without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. The Government of Canada does not assume responsibility and will not be liable for any damages in connection to the information provided.

If you need consular assistance while abroad, we will make every effort to help you. However, there may be constraints that will limit the ability of the Government of Canada to provide services.

Learn more about consular services .

Risk Levels

  take normal security precautions.

Take similar precautions to those you would take in Canada.

  Exercise a high degree of caution

There are certain safety and security concerns or the situation could change quickly. Be very cautious at all times, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities.

IMPORTANT: The two levels below are official Government of Canada Travel Advisories and are issued when the safety and security of Canadians travelling or living in the country or region may be at risk.

  Avoid non-essential travel

Your safety and security could be at risk. You should think about your need to travel to this country, territory or region based on family or business requirements, knowledge of or familiarity with the region, and other factors. If you are already there, think about whether you really need to be there. If you do not need to be there, you should think about leaving.

  Avoid all travel

You should not travel to this country, territory or region. Your personal safety and security are at great risk. If you are already there, you should think about leaving if it is safe to do so.

Home - smartraveller.gov.au, be informed, be prepared - logo

Search Smartraveller

travel warning for somalia

Latest update

We continue to advise:

Do not travel to Somalia due to the dangerous security situation and the threat of armed conflict, terrorism, kidnapping and violent crime.

Somalia

Somalia (PDF 704.25 KB)

Africa (PDF 1.68 MB)

Local emergency contacts

Depending on what you need, contact your:

  • family and friends
  • travel agent
  • insurance provider

Advice levels

Do not travel  to Somalia.

Do not travel  to Somalia due to the dangerous security situation and the threat of armed conflict, terrorism, kidnapping and violent crime.

  • Do not travel to Somalia. If you're in the country, leave as soon as possible. If you decide to stay, get professional security advice. Our ability to provide consular services is severely limited. 
  • Terror attacks frequently occur in Somalia. Possible targets include Aden Adde International Airport, government officials and buildings, hotels, restaurants, foreigners and foreign interests, and UN workers. The most recent incidents have caused hundreds of fatalities and injuries. 
  • The kidnapping risk is very high in all parts of Somalia. This includes Puntland and Somaliland. Several active terrorist groups have the intent and capability to kidnap foreigners.  Make sure your movements aren't predictable.

Pirate attacks  in and around Somalia's waters, the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden are a serious threat. This includes far off the Somali coast.

  • Residential areas and markets in south-central Somalia have experienced shootings and grenade attacks. Avoid areas of conflict and large public gatherings.
  • The Australian High Commission in Kenya has received reports that some schools and institutions acting as 'cultural rehabilitation’ centres operate in Somalia without oversight. The reports claim that minors and young adults may be abused or held against their will in these facilities.
  • Somalia has extreme weather, including severe droughts, heatwaves and floods. It's also prone to tsunamis. During a natural disaster, monitor local and international media. Follow local advice.

Full travel advice:  Safety

  • Malaria occurs across the country. Consider taking anti-malaria medication. Other insect-borne diseases include dengue, yellow fever, filariasis and leishmaniasis. Ensure your accommodation is insect-proof. Use insect repellent. Get vaccinated against yellow fever before you travel.
  • Somalia continues to have cases of polio. Ensure your vaccinations are up to date before you travel. Carry proof of vaccination.
  • There are cases of HIV/AIDS in Somalia. Take precautions if you're taking part in high-risk activities. If you're a victim of violent crime, including rape, get medical help as soon as possible.
  • There are foodborne, waterborne and other infectious diseases in Somalia. This includes cholera, hepatitis and meningococcal disease. Drink only boiled or bottled water. Avoid raw or undercooked food.
  • Medical facilities in Somalia are extremely limited. If you're ill or injured, you'll need medical evacuation out of the country. This is expensive and difficult to organise.

Full travel advice:  Health

  • Courts operate under both Somali and Sharia law. In areas under al-Shabaab control, sentences include flogging and the death penalty. Get local legal advice, especially on matters such as divorce, child custody and child support.
  • Don't use or carry illegal drugs. Penalties for drug offences are severe. They include prison sentences and heavy fines.
  • Same-sex relations are illegal in Somalia. Under sharia law, punishments include flogging and death.
  • It's illegal to preach a religion other than Islam in Somaliland and Puntland.
  • Some Australian laws apply overseas. It's illegal to support military activities in Somalia without permission from the Australian Government.
  • Australian-Somali dual nationals are treated as Somali. Consular help may be limited.

Full travel advice:  Local laws

  • Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. You should contact the nearest embassy or consulate of Somalia for the latest details.
  • Land borders with countries neighbouring Somalia may close at short notice. You should check with local authorities before travelling to the border. You should also monitor Travel Advice for Ethiopia, Kenya or Djibouti. Don't cross the border without the correct documents.
  • Visa conditions and validity can change. Your visa might not be recognised in areas where the central government's authority is challenged.
  • If you travel to Somalia despite our advice, you'll need proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Unvaccinated travellers must have a negative COVID-19 (PCR) test certificate with a QR code taken within 72 hours before arrival.

Full travel advice:  Travel

Local contacts

  • The  Consular Services Charter  details what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.
  • Australia doesn't have a diplomatic mission in Somalia. For consular help, contact the  Australian High Commission in Kenya .
  • The ability of the Australian Government to provide consular help to Australians in Somalia is severely limited.
  • To stay up to date with local information, follow the High Commission’s social media accounts.

Full travel advice:  Local contacts

Full advice

Terror attacks frequently occur in Somalia. Terror attacks can take place anywhere, at any time. Many recent attacks have targeted Somali government officials, foreigners and UN workers. Recent attacks have occurred in Mogadishu, Beledweyne, Baidoa, Galkayo and Kismayo and have resulted in hundreds of fatalities and injuries. 

  • In October 2022, two car bombs exploded near the Ministry of Education building in Mogadishu, resulting in 121 deaths and more than 300 injuries. 

Somali militants have threatened attacks throughout the country. 

Aden Adde International Airport is a high-priority target because of the large number of foreigners present. 

Common targets

Deadly attacks against government targets, including buildings, are common.

Foreigners and local people working for international organisations and the African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) are also targeted.

Attacks could involve explosions, car bombs and armed gunmen.

Other possible targets for attacks include:

  • hotels, clubs, restaurants, bars and other commercial and public areas visited by government officials and foreigners 
  • foreign interests, including embassies, oil companies, oil infrastructure and oil fields
  • places of worship, schools, markets, shopping areas, tourist areas, historic sites, outdoor recreation events and other public spaces
  • transport and transport infrastructure, including airports and aircraft
  • residential areas

There have been more attacks during days of national significance and religious festivals, including Ramadan.

Somalia isn't safe. It doesn't have an effective police force.

Do not travel to Somalia. If you're already there, leave Somalia as soon as possible.

If, despite our advice, you decide to stay, you should:

  • get professional security advice
  • arrange personal security measures
  • plan for uncertainty and stock up on essential items (water, food, toiletries, fuel and prescription medication)
  • limit your movements, especially around days of national significance and religious festivals
  • be alert at all times
  • have a clear exit plan.

If there's an attack, you should:

  • leave the area straight away if it's safe to do so
  • avoid the affected area in case of secondary attacks
  • monitor the media for any new or emerging threats.

Terrorism is a threat worldwide.

More information:

Kidnapping occurs across the world with political, ideological, and criminal motives. Foreigners, including Australians, have been kidnapped while travelling overseas. Kidnapping can occur anywhere, anytime, including in destinations that are typically considered at lower risk.  The  kidnapping  risk is very high in all parts of Somalia, including Puntland and Somaliland.

Several active terrorist groups have the intent and capability to kidnap foreigners.  Many foreigners, including those of Somali descent, have been kidnapped in Somalia.

Kidnappers may be motivated by crime or terrorism. Armed groups in Somalia have held foreigners kidnapped from Kenya.

Do not travel to Somalia. If you're already in Somalia, leave as soon as possible.

If, despite our advice, you travel to an area with a high risk of kidnapping, you should be aware that our ability to provide consular assistance in these destinations is limited.

To reduce the risk of kidnapping:

  • keep a low profile
  • always be alert to your personal security and surroundings
  • vary your routines, so your movements don't become predictable to observers.
  • get professional security advice for travel in locations with a heightened kidnap risk
  • check your accommodation has appropriate security measures
  • avoid isolated locations, particularly when travelling alone
  • notify family or friends of planned travel and share your location
  • avoid talking about your money or business affairs
  • always use ATMs in public places and during daylight hours
  • avoid giving personal details to strangers online or over the phone

The Australian Government's longstanding policy is that it doesn't make payments or concessions to kidnappers.

Ransom payments to kidnappers have funded further terrorist attacks and criminal activity. Paying a ransom to terrorist groups will likely break Australian counter-terrorism financing laws.

Civil unrest and political tension

The political situation is unpredictable, particularly in Mogadishu. Demonstrations can occur and turn violent without warning.  

Armed conflict

Residential areas and markets in south-central Somalia have experienced shootings and grenade attacks.

If you're in Somalia despite our advice:

  • avoid areas where conflict is ongoing or political tensions are highest
  • avoid all protests, rallies, demonstrations and other public gatherings.

Public protests and events that draw large groups of people can turn violent.

  • Demonstrations and civil unrest

Pirates are heavily armed, have attacked vessels and held foreigners hostage for ransom in the Gulf of Aden.

Attractive targets for pirates include:

  • local fishing dhows
  • commercial boats
  • pleasure crafts
  • luxury cruise liners.

Don't travel in Somali waters or surrounds, or you face the risk of being hijacked and held hostage for ransom. 

If you need to  travel by boat  in Somali waters or surrounds, you should:

  • stay out of the  designated High Risk Area
  • travel in groups or convoys
  • always stay in close contact with convoy members
  • arrange personal security.
  • Advice for sailing vessels  (Maritime Security Centre Horn of Africa)
  • Piracy reports  issued by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

Cultural 'rehabilitation' facilities and schools

The Australian High Commission in Kenya has received reports that some schools and institutions acting as 'cultural rehabilitation' centres operate in Somalia without oversight. The reports claim that minors and young adults may be abused and held against their will in these facilities.

Violent crime

There's no effective police force in Somalia. There's a breakdown in law and order. Lawlessness, clan violence and looting are common.

Anti-Western attitudes are strong in some parts of Somalia. Foreigners are sometimes violently harassed, including people of Somali descent.

Cyber security

You may be at risk of cyber-based threats during overseas travel to any country. Digital identity theft is a growing concern. Your devices and personal data can be compromised, especially if you’re connecting to Wi-Fi, using or connecting to shared or public computers, or to Bluetooth.

Social media can also be risky in destinations where there are social or political tensions or laws that may seem unreasonable by Australian standards. Travellers have been arrested for things they have said on social media. Don't comment on local or political events on your social media.

  • Cyber security when travelling overseas

Other factors

Extreme weather conditions in southern and central Somalia have added to the unstable security environment. Areas bordering Ethiopia and Kenya are also affected.

Food shortages and population displacements have left thousands of people without a home and vulnerable. This has led to more disease and more crime.

If you're in Somalia despite our advice, you should:

  • always travel with your vehicle's doors locked and windows up
  • lock the doors and windows of your accommodation
  • be alert at all times.

There are cases of HIV/AIDS in Somalia. If you're a victim of violent crime, including rape, see a doctor as soon as possible.

Climate and natural disasters

Somalia experiences  natural disasters  and  severe weather , including  tsunamis .

If, despite our advice, you travel to or stay in Somalia and a natural disaster occurs:

  • store your passport in a safe, waterproof place
  • monitor local media and the  World Meteorological Organization Severe Weather Information Centre
  • check other sources, such as the  Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System
  • keep in touch with friends and family.

If you're near the coast, move immediately to high ground if advised to by local authorities, or if you:

  • see a sudden rise or fall in sea level
  • hear loud and unusual noises from the sea.

Don't wait for official warnings, such as alarms or sirens. Once on high ground, check local media.

Severe weather

Somalia's weather can be extreme. There are regular droughts and floods.

Because of severe weather, many areas of Somalia suffer from food shortages. Thousands of people are left without a place to live, leading to more disease and higher security threats to foreigners.

Somalia is often very hot. The average maximum temperature can be more than 45˚C.

Stay out of the sun and drink water to avoid dehydration.

The monsoon season runs from May to October in the south-west. It's from December to February in the north-east.

Travel insurance

Get comprehensive  travel insurance  before you leave. 

Your policy needs to cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation. The Australian Government won't pay for these costs.

You'll need a specialised insurance policy that covers travel to high-risk destinations. Most Australian policies won't cover you for travel to Somalia.

If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. This applies to everyone, no matter how healthy and fit you are.

If you're not insured, you may have to pay many thousands of dollars up-front for medical care.

  • what activities and care your policy covers
  • that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away.

Physical and mental health

Consider your physical and mental health before you travel, especially if you have an existing medical condition.

See your doctor or travel clinic to:

  • have a basic health check-up
  • ask if your travel plans may affect your health
  • plan any vaccinations you need.

Do this at least 8 weeks before you leave.

If you have immediate concerns for your welfare or the welfare of another Australian, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or contact your nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate to discuss counselling hotlines and services available in your location.

  • General health advice
  • Healthy holiday tips  (Healthdirect Australia)

Medications

Not all medication available over the counter or by prescription in Australia is available in other countries. Some may even be considered illegal or a controlled substance, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor.

If you plan to bring medication, check if it's legal in Somalia. Take enough legal medication for your trip.

Carry a copy of your prescription or a letter from your doctor stating:

  • what the medication is
  • your required dosage
  • that it's for personal use

Health risks

Insect-borne diseases

Malaria  occurs throughout the year in all parts of Somalia. Current treatments aren't effective against some strains.

Other insect-borne diseases also occur. These include:

  • yellow fever
  • leishmaniasis

To protect yourself from disease:

  • ensure your accommodation is insect-proof
  • use insect repellent
  • wear long, loose, light-coloured clothing.

Get vaccinated against yellow fever before you travel.

Consider taking medicine to prevent malaria.

Get medical advice if you have a fever, muscle pain, rash or severe headache.

  • Infectious diseases

Outbreaks of  polio  have occurred in countries across the Horn of Africa.

Check your polio vaccination status with your doctor or travel clinic at least 8 weeks before you travel. You may need a booster dose.

If you aren't vaccinated, complete the full course of vaccinations before you leave.

If you're staying in Somalia for longer than 4 weeks, you'll need to show proof when you exit that you've had the polio vaccine or a booster within the past 12 months. If you don't, you may need to be vaccinated before leaving Somalia.

  • Polio surveillance program  (Australian Department of Health and Aged Care) 
  • Australian Immunisation Handbook

There are cases of  HIV/AIDS  in Somalia.

Protect yourself from infection if engaging in activities that expose you to risk.

If you're a victim of violent crime, including rape, get medical help as soon as possible.

Other health risks

Waterborne, foodborne and other infectious diseases are common. These include:

  • meningococcal disease
  • tuberculosis
  • rift valley fever

To protect yourself from illness:

  • drink boiled water or bottled water with sealed lids
  • avoid ice cubes
  • avoid raw and undercooked food, such as salads
  • don't swim in fresh water to avoid exposure to waterborne diseases.

Get medical advice if you have a fever or diarrhoea.

Medical care

Medical facilities.

Medical facilities in Somalia are extremely limited.

If you become seriously ill or injured, you'll need to be evacuated to a place with suitable facilities. Medical evacuation can be very expensive. It can also be difficult to organise.

You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that may appear harsh by Australian standards. Research local laws before travelling.

If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you under our  Consular Services Charter . But we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.

Consular help

Somalia hasn't signed the Vienna Conventions on diplomatic and consular relations.

If you're arrested or detained, you may not be able to contact the Australian Government or access consular services.

Penalties for drug offences are severe. They may include prison and heavy fines.

  • Carrying or using drugs

Courts operate under both Somali and Sharia law.

Strict sharia law is in force in areas under al-Shabaab control. Sentences include physical punishments such as flogging and the death penalty.

Get professional advice on local legal matters, particularly about:

  • child custody
  • child support.

Be aware of your rights and responsibilities.

Criminal laws are inconsistently enforced in Somalia. Due process isn't always followed.

Same-sex relations are illegal in Somalia. Punishments under strict Sharia law include flogging or death.

It's also illegal to preach a religion other than Islam in Puntland or Somaliland.

  • Advice for LGBTI travellers

Australian laws

Some Australian criminal laws still apply when you're overseas. If you break these laws, you may face prosecution in Australia.

It's illegal to support military activities of any armed group in Somalia without permission from the Australian Government. This includes:

  • funding, training or recruiting someone to fight
  • supplying or funding weapons or military equipment.
  • Staying within the law and respecting customs
  • Forced marriage
  • Female genital mutilation

Dual citizenship

If you're an Australian-Somali dual national, Somali officials will treat you as Somali.

You may not be able to contact the Australian Government if you're arrested or detained. Consular help may be limited.

  • Dual nationals

Local customs

Cultural sensitivities.

Somalia has strict conservative standards of dress and behaviour. If in doubt, ask for local advice.

The Islamic holiday month of Ramadan is observed in Somalia. Respect religious and cultural customs and laws at this time.

During Ramadan, eating, drinking, and smoking may be illegal in public during the day. If you're not fasting, avoid these activities around people who are. Seek local advice to avoid offence.

Explore our Ramadan page to learn more, including dates for Ramadan.

Visas and border measures

Every country or territory decides who can enter or leave through its borders. For specific information about the evidence you'll need to enter a foreign destination, check with the nearest embassy, consulate or immigration department of the destination you're entering. 

Entry and exit requirements can change. Contact an Embassy or Consulate-General of Somalia  for details about visas, currency, customs and quarantine rules.

Consulates and other diplomatic missions of Somalia have connections with the central government. However, the central government's authority isn't recognised everywhere.

Visas might not be valid in areas where the central government's authority is challenged.

Permanent Representative of the Somali Republic to the United Nations 425 East 61st Street, Suite 702 New York, 10021, United States Phone: (+212) 688 9410/5046 Fax: (+212) 759 0651

Border measures

International and domestic flights are operating. If you travel to Somalia despite our advice, you'll need proof of COVID-19 vaccination issued by a legitimate and competent authority. Unvaccinated travellers must have a negative COVID-19 (PCR) test certificate with a QR code taken within 72 hours before arrival.

Check requirements with local authorities before making any travel arrangements.

Passengers must arrive at the border checkpoint at least 3 hours before departure for health and safety procedures.

Land borders with countries neighbouring Somalia may close at short notice. Check with local authorities before travelling to the border. You should also monitor Travel Advice for  Ethiopia ,  Kenya  or  Djibouti . Don't cross the border without the correct documents.

Other formalities

Yellow fever vaccination.

You may need a valid  yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter Somalia.

Find out about returning to Australia if you've been  exposed to yellow fever .

  • Countries with a risk of yellow fever

Some countries won't let you enter unless your passport is valid for 6 months after you plan to leave that country. This can apply even if you're just transiting or stopping over.

Some foreign governments and airlines apply the rule inconsistently. Travellers can receive conflicting advice from different sources.

You can end up stranded if your passport is not valid for more than 6 months.

The Australian Government does not set these rules. Check your passport's expiry date before you travel. If you're not sure it'll be valid for long enough, consider getting  a new passport .

Lost or stolen passport

Your passport is a valuable document. It's attractive to people who may try to use your identity to commit crimes.

Some people may try to trick you into giving them your passport. Always keep it in a safe place.

If your passport is lost or stolen, tell the Australian Government as soon as possible:

  • In Australia, contact the  Australian Passport Information Service .
  • If you're overseas, contact the nearest  Australian embassy or consulate .

Passport with ‘X’ gender identifier  

Although Australian passports comply with international standards for sex and gender, we can’t guarantee that a passport showing 'X' in the sex field will be accepted for entry or transit by another country. Contact the nearest  embassy, high commission or consulate of your destination  before you arrive at the border to confirm if authorities will accept passports with 'X' gender markers.

  • LGBTI travellers

The local currency is the Somali Shilling (SOS). US dollars are widely accepted.

The government regulates currency transfer and exchange. 

Australian currency, credit cards and traveller's cheques aren't accepted.

ATMs aren't usually available.

Local travel

Landmines are a danger throughout Somalia.

Road travel

Road travel in Somalia is dangerous.

Hazards include terrorism, poor road conditions, landmines and criminal activity.

Illegal roadblocks are common. See  Safety

If you need to travel by road:

  • get local advice on routes
  • seek professional security advice
  • take steps to protect your safety
  • make backup plans.
  • Driving or riding

Aden Adde International Airport is a high-priority target for attack due to the presence of foreigners.

Other airports and aircraft are also possible targets for terror attacks.

DFAT doesn't provide information on the safety of individual commercial airlines or flight paths.

Check  Somalia's air safety profile  with the Aviation Safety Network.

Emergencies

Consular contacts.

Read the  Consular Services Charter  for what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.

The security situation in Somalia limits the ability of the Australian Government to provide consular help.

Australia doesn't have a diplomatic mission in Somalia. Contact the Australian High Commission in Kenya for consular help.

Australian High Commission, Nairobi

Limuru Road, Rosslyn Nairobi, Kenya  P.O Box 3008 - 00 Phone: +254 20 427 7100  Email:  [email protected] Website:  kenya.highcommission.gov.au   Facebook:  Australian High Commission, Kenya Twitter:  @AusHCKenya

Instagram: @AusHCKenya

Check the High Commission website for details about opening hours and any temporary closures.

24-hour Consular Emergency Centre

In a consular emergency, if you can't contact an embassy, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on:

  • +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas
  • 1300 555 135 in Australia

""

Travelling to Somalia?

Sign up to get the latest travel advice updates..

Be the first to know official government advice when travelling.

Travel advice for Somalia

Logo FDFA

Switzerland and Somalia

Eda.base.components.templates.base.accesskeys.

  • Travel advice

Start of page Last update 27.11.2017

Facebook

Official websites use .gov

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

travel warning for somalia

Travel Advisory Updates

Office of the Spokesperson

April 19, 2021

State Department Travel Advisory Updates

In order to provide U.S. travelers detailed and actionable information to make informed travel decisions, the Department of State regularly assesses and updates our Travel Advisories, based primarily on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Travel Health Notices (THNs) and secondary factors such as commercial flight availability, restrictions on U.S. citizen entry, and impediments to obtaining COVID test results within three calendar days.

The following Travel Advisories have been updated to reflect the current CDC THNs for COVID-19.

We continue to monitor health and safety conditions around the world, working with the CDC and other agencies, as conditions evolve.

This week, the following Travel Advisories have been assessed and reissued with updates, raised to a Level 4 – Do Not Travel:

This week, the following Travel Advisory has been assessed and reissued with updates, lowered to a Level 3 – Reconsider Travel.

  • Antigua and Barbuda

U.S. Department of State

The lessons of 1989: freedom and our future.

Travel Advice for Somalia

Going to Somalia and need to know about the latest government travel advice for Somalia? Find the updated travel advice and travel warnings for Somalia from governments around the world, here.

General Travel Advice and Warnings for Somalia

The decision to travel to Somalia is your choice and you are accountable for your individual safety and security whilst in Somalia.

The web content on this web page is provided for information only and pulled together from travel advice and warnings for Somalia by authorities around the globe to their citizens.

While we make every effort to provide you most recent travel advice details, it is given on an “as is” basis without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied.

This operators of this web site does not assume responsibility and will not be liable for any damages in connection to the information provided.

General Cautions Travellers Need to Keep in Mind When Travelling in Somalia

Crime – Petty crimes such as pick pocketing in a congested surrounding to sexual assault and robberies do happen in larger cities of Somalia. Make sure that all your personal valuables, including passports and other travel documents, are secure at all times.

Terrorism – Constantly be aware of your surroundings when in public locations. Be particularly alert if participating in sporting occasions and during religious holidays and various other public events, as terrorists often use such celebrations to mount attacks.

Demonstrations and Protests – Demonstrations might take place. Even peaceful demonstrations can turn violent at any time. They can also result in disruptions to traffic and public transport. It is in your interest of safety and security to stay clear of locations where demonstrations and huge events are taking place and comply with the guidelines of local authorities. Monitor local media in Somalia for information on on-going demonstrations in Somalia.

Scams – Take care in popular tourist locations in Somalia, where scammers target foreigners. If you have actually been scammed in Somalia, reach a safe area immediately; make note, as soon as possible of the name and address of the facility where you were held; alert the cops in Somalia and acquire a report and if your credit card is used by the scammer call your credit card provider to inform the scam; they will likely ask for a copy of the police report to cancel the transaction.

Spiked Food and Beverages – Never ever leave food or beverages unattended or in the care of strangers when travelling in Somalia or anywhere else. Watch out for accepting snacks, beverages, gum or cigarettes from new acquaintances. These items may contain drugs that could put you in danger of sexual assault and robbery.

travel warning for somalia

What is the entry/exit conditions for Somalia?

Every nation or territory decides who can get in or exit through its borders, in the same manner Somalia decides who enter its territories. The Government of your home country cannot step in on your behalf if you do not meet your Somalia’s entry or exit requirements.

To learn more regarding the entry/exit requirement for Somalia go to visa requirements for Somalia or get the latest info with the visa office at the Somalilander embassy in your home country.

Travel insurance policy for Somalia

Health cover is just one of the primary factors visitors get travel insurance. It will not prevent you getting sick or seriously injured, though it can prevent you being affected financially. Medical support overseas can be really expensive.

You should shell out for all treatment you obtain overseas. You can not expect to get free or subsidised care through your Somalia’s public health system, like you would in your home country.

If you can’t pay, local authorities can arrest you. The government from your home country can’t pay you medical expense for you, loan you money or get you out of jail.

You require travel insurance policy for travelling to Somalia . You also need to see to it you select a plan that is right for you.

Read through the fine print of your travel insurance policy.

Declare all pre-existing conditions to your travel insurance company upfront. If you do not, you may invalidate your travel insurance policy.

Inform your travel insurance company the activities you plan to do, before you go. Many popular activities like winter sports are left out in standard plans. You may require to pay additional.

Check if you have free credit card travel insurance policy. Some cards include travel insurance cover. Nevertheless, they usually have various conditions than paid policies. Understand the differences.

If you’re visiting Somalia from a country that has a reciprocatory healthcare arrangement, you still require travel health insurance. Agreements are limited in what they’ll will cover.

If you have an incurable disease, you might not be able to get basic travel insurance coverage. However you may have the ability to get a specialised insurer that covers you for health, mishaps or property problems unassociated to your ailment. Talk to your insurance firm to find out.

Learn more about getting global travel insurance policy for Somalia before you go.

© 2021 Government Travel Advice

  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

travel warning for somalia

U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Mexico

Side Navigation Logo

Event:   Spring Break Travel

Location:   Mexico

Travel Smart – Be Informed:  Each year, thousands of U.S. citizens visit Mexico during spring break.  While the vast majority travel safely, visitors should consider the following when planning their vacation or traveling in Mexico:

  • Crime:  Crime, including violent crime, can occur anywhere in Mexico, including in popular tourist destinations.  Travelers should maintain a high level of situational awareness, avoid areas where illicit activities occur, and promptly depart from potentially dangerous situations.  See the  Mexico Travel Advisory  for specific information for each Mexican state.  U.S. citizens should exercise increased caution in the downtown areas of popular spring break locations including Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, and Tulum, especially after dark.
  • Drugs:  Drug possession and use, including medical marijuana, is illegal in Mexico and may result in a lengthy jail sentence.  U.S. citizens have become seriously ill or died in Mexico after using synthetic drugs or adulterated prescription pills.
  • Unregulated Alcohol:  Unregulated alcohol may be contaminated, and U.S. citizens have reported losing consciousness or becoming injured after consuming alcohol that was possibly tainted.
  • Pharmaceuticals:  Counterfeit medication is common and may prove to be ineffective, the wrong strength, or contain dangerous ingredients.  Medication should be purchased in consultation with a medical professional and from reputable establishments.
  • Sexual Assault:  U.S. citizens have been victims of rape and sexual assault.  Perpetrators may target inebriated or isolated individuals or may employ drugs that alter the victim’s physical or mental state.
  • Drowning:  Some beaches have strong undercurrents and rip tides.  Beaches may lack lifeguards, warnings, or signs of unsafe conditions.
  • Medical Emergencies:  An illness or accident could result in the need to seek medical treatment or hospitalization in Mexico.  Private hospital prices can be higher than those in the United States.  Many facilities require payment (sometimes only in cash) either before providing treatment or before discharging a patient.
  • Guns and Ammunition:  All guns and even small amounts of ammunition are illegal in Mexico.  Firearms and other weapons violations may result in lengthy jail time.
  • Arrests:  Drunk and disorderly behavior, public urination, and open alcohol containers in vehicles are illegal in Mexico.  If you break Mexican law, you can be arrested.
  • Immigration:  Violating the terms of your stay in Mexico can result in steep fines and detention.

Actions to Take:

  • Read the  Mexico Travel Advisory  and  Country Information Page  for details on travel throughout Mexico, including entry requirements.
  • Enroll in the State Department’s  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  to receive up-to-date information on safety conditions in Mexico and to help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency.
  • Call 911 in an emergency.  Although there may be English-speaking operators available, it is best to seek the assistance of a Spanish speaker to place the call.
  • Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage in Mexico, or purchase travel insurance that covers you in Mexico.  Seek coverage that includes medical evacuation.  Confirm costs of medical treatment in advance, when possible.
  • Avoid strong currents and do not swim after drinking or when warning flags note unsafe conditions.
  • Drink responsibly and always watch your drink.  If you begin to feel ill, seek medical attention immediately.  Report cases of suspected unregulated or contaminated alcohol to the Mexican Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risk (COFEPRIS) by  filing a report online  at the COFEPRIS website, call the COFEPRIS call center at +52 01-8—033-5050, or visit a COFEPRIS office.
  • Know your drinking companions and stay in a group of friends who have your safety in mind when you are in clubs and bars, walking in dimly lit areas, or in a taxi at night.  Obey Mexican law and remember Mexican laws may differ from U.S. laws.
  • Regularly monitor your credit or debit card accounts to ensure there are no unauthorized transactions.  Limit the amount of cash you carry in public, exercise caution when withdrawing cash, and avoid ATMs in isolated or unlit areas.
  • Be aware of your safety and protect your personal possessions when using public transportation.  Use radio taxis or those from “sitio” taxi stands.  Application-based car services such as Uber and Cabify are available in many Mexican cities, and generally offer another relatively safe alternative to taxis.
  • Keep friends and family at home informed of your travel plans, especially if traveling alone.
  • Consider downloading the “Guest Assist” application on your smart phone if traveling to Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cozumel, or other areas in the state of Quintana Roo.  The Mexican government provides information on emergency services and assistance for tourists via the app and their  website .
  • Keep your passport and entry permit (FMM), if applicable, in a safe place.  Confirm the date you must depart Mexico.
  • See our  advice for cruise passengers , particularly those with underlying health conditions.
  • Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate if you need assistance.

Assistance:

Contact Form

U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico

From Mexico:  (55) 8526 2561

From the United States:  +1-844-528-6611

Department of State – Consular Affairs:  +1-888-407-4747 or +1-202-501-4444

Mexico International Travel information

U.S. Passports

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

Department of State on  Facebook  and  X

U.S. Embassy in Mexico on  Facebook  and  X

travel warning for somalia

An immigrant visa is a document issued by a U.S. consular officer abroad that allows you to travel to the United States and apply for admission as a legal permanent resident (LPR). An immigration inspector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection of the Department of Homeland Security makes the final decision as to whether or not to admit you as an LPR. Once you are admitted as an LPR, you generally have the right to live and work in the United States permanently. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of the Department of Homeland Security will mail your permanent resident card (often called a “green card”) to your new address in the United States, usually within three months of your entry into the United States. Please see 9 FAM 502.1-3 for a list of classification symbols and a brief description of each.

Getting an immigrant visa usually means that you will be able to live and work in the United States for as long as you want. A nonimmigrant visa, on the other hand, is generally for short-term visitors to the United States. You cannot stay in the United States permanently on a nonimmigrant visa, and you generally cannot work. A nonimmigrant visa is sometimes informally called a “tourist visa” but can be issued for reasons other than tourism, such as medical treatment, business or study. Please see our nonimmigrant visa page for more information.

There are three basic methods for obtaining an immigrant visa: 1.through a family relationship with a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident 2.through employment 3.through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (the visa lottery) Most applicants in Mexico obtain their immigrant visas via family relationships. The first step in obtaining a family-based immigrant visa is for your relative (the petitioner) to file a Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) by mail with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland Security. Once your relative has filed a petition for you, you may check its status by accessing the USCIS Case Status Search Page. You may obtain an immigrant visa through employment rather than through a family member. More information on obtaining an immigrant visa through employment rather than through a family member is available on USCIS’s Green Card through a Job page. Please see the Fiscal Year 2016 Diversity Visa Entry Instructions. Note that the registration period for 2015 has closed. You may check this page for the Fiscal Year 2016 Diversity Visa Entry instructions in approximately September 2014.

Once U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland Security approves an immigrant visa petition, USCIS sends the approved petition to the Department of State’s National Visa Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

The Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC) retains the approved petition until the case is ready for adjudication by a consular officer abroad. Petitions may remain at NVC for several months or for many years depending on the visa category and country of birth of the visa applicant. When a beneficiary’s (the beneficiary is the person on whose behalf the petition was filed) priority date appears about to become current, NVC sends the petitioner a bill for processing Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act) and sends the beneficiary a Form DS-261 (Choice of Address and Agent). Once the Form I-864 processing fee is paid, NVC sends the Form I-864 and related instructions to the petitioner. Once NVC receives the completed Form DS-261 from the applicant, NVC mails a bill for the immigrant visa fee to the agent designated on the Form DS-261. Once the immigrant visa fee is paid, NVC sends the Instruction Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants to the agent. You or your agent must follow the directions in the Instruction Package for Immigrant Visa Applicants exactly. Failure to do so could result in a delay in your case and could even cause you to lose your chance to live and work in the United States. Once NVC completes its administrative processing of your case, the case file is sent to the Immigrant Visa Unit of the U.S. Consulate General, Ciudad Juarez. NVC will notify you by mail when this occurs.

The priority date, in the case of a family-based immigrant visa petition, is the date your petition was filed (not the date it was approved). Family-based immigrant visas are divided into two broad groups, immediate relative cases and preference cases. An immediate relative family-based petition is filed by a U.S. citizen on behalf of a spouse, parent, or child. A preference family-based petition is filed by a U.S. citizen on behalf of a son, daughter, or sibling; or by a legal permanent resident on behalf of a spouse, son or daughter, or child. Because the law does not limit the number of immediate relative visas, the priority date is normally irrelevant in such cases (please see the 9 FAM 502.1-1(d)(1) for the notable exception, related to the Child Status Protection Act). Workload permitting, the Immigrant Visa Unit may begin processing the approved petition upon receipt from the Department of State’s National Visa Center or the Department of Homeland Security. The priority date in a preference case, however, matters greatly. The law limits the number of preference visas available. All categories of family-based preference visas are currently “oversubscribed” (i.e., there are more people who want visas than there are visa numbers available). Your priority date, along with your visa category and nationality, determines whether a visa number is available or whether you must wait. Once your priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed in the most recent Visa Bulle

Use up to three keywords instead of using a full sentence for the best search results.

product warranty

free shipping offer

Would you help us improve our website

Note: This feature is strictly for feedback about your experience using the website. All other questions and feedback will be disregarded. Thank you for your understanding. You are visiting a website that just underwent a redesign. Please take a few moments to provide us with your valuable feedback.

Note: This feature is strictly for feedback about your experience using the website.

Please take a few moments to provide us with your valuable feedback. Note: This feature is strictly for feedback about your experience using the website. All other questions and feedback will be disregarded.

{{ error }}

* Please see our Contact Us page for more information on how to reach us.

Thank you for sharing your feedback!

From Mexico: (55) 8526 2561

From the United States: 1-844-528-6611

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

The .gov means it’s official.

Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure.

The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Somalia Sanctions

129. can i make a private donation to a charity that is delivering humanitarian assistance in somalia.

Yes. Please visit USAID’s website for more information about how you can help.

Released on August 4, 2011

130. Can my organization provide humanitarian assistance in Somalia?

Yes, non-governmental organizations may provide humanitarian assistance in Somalia without the need for a license from OFAC. Organizations considering entering Somali territory to conduct assistance operations should be aware that areas of Somalia are extremely unstable and dangerous, and should review the State Department’s Travel Warning for Somalia . Among the most powerful armed groups operating in Somalia is al-Shabaab, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist and a Foreign Terrorist Organization under U.S. law. U.S. persons should exercise caution not to provide funds or material support to this organization or other designated groups.

131. What if, in delivering humanitarian assistance, my organization unintentionally provides food or medicine to members of al-Shabaab?

Due to the dangerous and highly unstable environment combined with urgent humanitarian needs in south and central Somalia, some food and/or medicine delivered in these areas may end up in the hands of al-Shabaab members. Such incidental benefits are not a focus for OFAC sanctions enforcement.

132. What if, in delivering humanitarian assistance, my organization unintentionally provides cash to members of al-Shabaab?

U.S. persons should be extremely cautious in making cash payments in areas under the control of al-Shabaab. Al-Shabaab has, in the past, demanded “taxes” and “access” payments from assistance organizations. To the extent that such a payment is made unintentionally by an organization in the conduct of its assistance activities, where the organization did not have reason to know that it was dealing with al-Shabaab, that activity would not be a focus for OFAC sanctions enforcement. To the extent that an organization is facing demands for large or repeated payments in al-Shabaab-controlled areas, it should consult with OFAC prior to proceeding with its operations.

133. I have heard that certain U.S. humanitarian assistance organizations are exempted from the prohibition on making certain cash payments to al-Shabaab. Is that correct?

Under the current extreme circumstances on the ground, the Department of State and USAID and their contractors and grantees are authorized to engage in certain transactions in the conduct of their official assistance activities in Somalia, under rigorous controls aimed at preventing diversion of assistance or cash payments to designated parties.

Humanitarian assistance organizations that wish to apply for a contract or grant with the State Department or USAID should visit USAID’s website .

134. I have family members or friends in Somalia and would like to send remittances to them. Can I do that without violating OFAC sanctions?

Yes, you can send remittances to Somalia, as long as the transactions do not involve parties listed on OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List .

Additional information on can be found on OFAC’s Somalia-related sanctions program page . To request additional information from OFAC, please call the OFAC hotline at (800) 540-6322 or (202) 622-2490.

AL.com

US issues travel warning for mega-popular spring break tourist spots

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico have issued a travel warning ahead of the busy spring break tourist season.

The message warns about a variety of safety threats in the country, especially threats from violent crime in popular destinations such as Cancun, Playa Del Carmen and Tulum. The State Department’s Travel Advisories for Mexico currently range from “do not travel” for places such as Colima, Guerrero and Michoacan to exercising normal precautions for Campeche and Yucatan.

Quintana Roo, home to Cancun, Playa Del Carmen and Tulum, is under the “exercise increased caution” areas due to crime.

“Crime, including violent crime, can occur anywhere in Mexico, including in popular tourist destinations.  Travelers should maintain a high level of situational awareness, avoid areas where illicit activities occur, and promptly depart from potentially dangerous situations,” the Spring Break warning noted.

READ MORE: US warning tourists to avoid popular travel destination after 18 murders this month

The other warnings covered:

  • Drug possession and use – Drug possession and use, including medical marijuana, is illegal in Mexico and can result in jail. Also, some travelers have become seriously ill or died in Mexico after using synthetic drugs or tainted prescription pills.
  • Alcohol – Unregulated alcohol can be contaminated. Pharmaceuticals – Counterfeit medication is common in Mexico and can be ineffective or contain dangerous ingredients.
  • Sexual assault – U.S. citizens have reported rape and sexual assault. Drunk or people by themselves can be targets and some cases involve drugs being used to alter the victim’s physical or mental state.
  • Drownings – Beware of strong undercurrents and rip tides. Also, beaches may lack lifeguards, warnings or signs to alert swimmers of unsafe conditions.
  • Medical emergencies – Private hospital prices can be higher in Mexico than in the U.S. and some require payment – possibly only in cash – before providing treatment or discharging a patient.
  • Guns and ammunition -  All guns and even small amounts of ammunition are illegal in Mexico.

Travelers are advised to stay with a group of friends in clubs and bars, while walking home or in a taxi at night. People should also monitor their credit or debit cards for unauthorized transactions.

You can go here for a complete list of safety recommendations.

©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit al.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Backfill Image

  • Search Please fill out this field.
  • Manage Your Subscription
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Sweepstakes

U.S. Issues Travel Warning for Mexico Ahead of Spring Break

The warning is asking travelers to “travel smart” and “be informed."

travel warning for somalia

marako85/Getty Images

The United States is warning travelers heading to Mexico to be aware of their surroundings ahead of the spring break holiday season.

The warning , which was issued this week by the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico, reminds travelers to “travel smart” and “be informed” as “thousands of U.S. citizens visit Mexico during spring break” each year. The embassy continued that “while the vast majority travel safely,” visitors should be aware of issues with crime, drugs, unregulated alcohol, drownings, and more. 

“Crime, including violent crime, can occur anywhere in Mexico, including in popular tourist destinations. Travelers should maintain a high level of situational awareness, avoid areas where illicit activities occur, and promptly depart from potentially dangerous situations,” the embassy warned. “U.S. citizens should exercise increased caution in the downtown areas of popular spring break locations including Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, and Tulum, especially after dark.”

The warning also reminded American travelers that drug possession and use is illegal in Mexico, including medical marijuana. It also advised that unregulated alcohol may be contaminated, that counterfeit medication is common, and that guns are illegal in Mexico.

When it comes to the country’s popular beaches, the embassy reminded travelers some beaches may have strong rip tides and “may lack lifeguards, warnings, or signs of unsafe conditions.”

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico issued a similar spring break warning last year .

The U.S. Department of State classifies different states in Mexico under different warning levels. While travelers can “exercise normal precautions” when traveling to the Campeche and Yucatan states, the State Department warns them to “exercise increased caution” when heading to places like Baja California Sur (where Los Cabos is), Mexico City, and Quintana Roo (where Cancun is) due to crime.

The State Department also asks American travelers to “reconsider” going to the state of Jalisco, which is home to popular destination Puerto Vallarta , due to the danger of crime and kidnapping.

The State Department recommends Americans who do travel to Mexico keep people at home informed of their travel plans and enroll in the department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to both receive alerts and make it easier to locate them if an emergency occurs.

Travelers heading to international destinations can view all current travel advisories on the State Department's website at  travel.state.gov .

What are the 4 levels of travel advisory? What to know about spring break trips to Mexico

travel warning for somalia

The U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Mexico issued a spring break travel advisory on Feb. 26.

Violent crime is widespread and common in Mexico , according to the U.S. State Department . Crimes such as carjacking, homicide, kidnapping and robbery are prevalent.

Travel: Should I mask for my flight? What to know about COVID and traveling.

Here's what you need to know about U.S. State Department travel advisories:

Is Mexico safe 2024?

According to the spring break travel advisory , there is list of safety concerns to consider:

  • Arrests: Drunk and disorderly behavior, public urination, and open alcohol containers in vehicles are illegal in Mexico.  If you break Mexican law, you can be arrested.
  • Crime:  Crime, including violent crime, can occur anywhere in Mexico, including in popular tourist destinations. Travelers should maintain a high level of situational awareness, avoid areas where illicit activities occur, and promptly depart from potentially dangerous situations. See the  Mexico Travel Advisory   for specific information for each Mexican state. U.S. citizens should exercise increased caution in the downtown areas of popular spring break locations including Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, and Tulum, especially after dark.
  • Drowning: Some beaches have strong undercurrents and rip tides. Beaches may lack lifeguards, warnings, or signs of unsafe conditions.
  • Drugs: Drug possession and use, including medical marijuana, is illegal in Mexico and may result in a lengthy jail sentence. U.S. citizens have become seriously ill or died in Mexico after using synthetic drugs or adulterated prescription pills.
  • Guns and Ammunition:  All guns and even small amounts of ammunition are illegal in Mexico.  Firearms and other weapons violations may result in lengthy jail time.
  • Immigration:   Violating the terms of your stay in Mexico can result in steep fines and detention.
  • Medical Emergencies: An illness or accident could result in the need to seek medical treatment or hospitalization in Mexico. Private hospital prices can be higher than those in the United States. Many facilities require payment (sometimes only in cash) either before providing treatment or before discharging a patient.
  • Pharmaceuticals:  Counterfeit medication is common and may prove to be ineffective, the wrong strength, or contain dangerous ingredients.  Medication should be purchased in consultation with a medical professional and from reputable establishments.
  • Sexual Assault: U.S. citizens have been victims of rape and sexual assault. Perpetrators may target inebriated or isolated individuals or may employ drugs that alter the victim’s physical or mental state.
  • Unregulated Alcohol: Unregulated alcohol may be contaminated, and U.S. citizens have reported losing consciousness or becoming injured after consuming alcohol that was possibly tainted.

Mexico spring break travel advisory 2024

According to the spring break travel advisory , there is a list of actions travelers should take:

  • Avoid strong currents and do not swim after drinking or when warning flags note unsafe conditions.
  • Be aware of your safety and protect your personal possessions when using public transportation. Use radio taxis or those from “sitio” taxi stands. Application-based car services such as Uber and Cabify are available in many Mexican cities, and generally offer another relatively safe alternative to taxis.
  • Call 911 in an emergency. Although there may be English-speaking operators available, it is best to seek the assistance of a Spanish speaker to place the call.
  • Consider downloading the “Guest Assist” application on your smart phone if traveling to Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cozumel, or other areas in the state of Quintana Roo. The Mexican government provides information on emergency services and assistance for tourists via the app and their  website .
  • Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate if you need assistance.
  • Drink responsibly and always watch your drink. If you begin to feel ill, seek medical attention immediately. Report cases of suspected unregulated or contaminated alcohol to the Mexican Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risk (COFEPRIS) by  filing a report online   at the COFEPRIS website, call the COFEPRIS call center at +52 01-8—033-5050, or visit a COFEPRIS office.
  • Enroll in the State Department’s  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program   to receive up-to-date information on safety conditions in Mexico and to help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency.
  • Keep friends and family at home informed of your travel plans, especially if traveling alone.
  • Keep your passport and entry permit (FMM), if applicable, in a safe place. Confirm the date you must depart Mexico.
  • Know your drinking companions and stay in a group of friends who have your safety in mind when you are in clubs and bars, walking in dimly lit areas, or in a taxi at night. Obey Mexican law and remember Mexican laws may differ from U.S. laws.
  • Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage in Mexico, or purchase travel insurance that covers you in Mexico. Seek coverage that includes medical evacuation.  Confirm costs of medical treatment in advance, when possible.
  • Read the  Mexico Travel Advisory  and  Country Information Page  for details on travel throughout Mexico, including entry requirements.
  • Regularly monitor your credit or debit card accounts to ensure there are no unauthorized transactions. Limit the amount of cash you carry in public, exercise caution when withdrawing cash, and avoid ATMs in isolated or unlit areas.
  • See our  advice for cruise passengers  , particularly those with underlying health conditions.

U.S. State Department Travel Warnings for Mexico

Here are the travel warnins from the U.S. State Department :

Do Not Travel To In Mexico

  • Colima state  due to  crime  and  kidnapping .
  • Guerrero state  due to  crime .
  • Michoacan state  due to  crime  and  kidnapping .
  • Sinaloa state  due to  crime  and  kidnapping
  • Tamaulipas state  due to  crime  and  kidnapping.
  • Zacatecas  state due to  crime  and  kidnapping .

Reconsider Travel To in Mexico:

  • Baja California  state due to  crime  and  kidnapping .
  • Chihuahua state  due to  crime  and  kidnapping .
  • Durango state  due to  crime .
  • Guanajuato state  due to  crime  and  kidnapping .
  • Jalisco state  due to  crime  and  kidnapping .
  • Morelos state  due to  crime .
  • Sonora state  due to  crime  and  kidnapping .

Exercise Increased Caution When Traveling To in Mexico

  • Aguascalientes  state due to  crime .
  • Baja California Sur state  due to  crime .
  • Chiapas state  due to  crime .
  • Coahuila state  due to  crime .
  • Hidalgo state  due to  crime .
  • Mexico City  due to  crime .
  • Mexico State  due to  crime .
  • Nayarit state  due to  crime.
  • Nuevo Leon  state due to  crime  and  kidnapping .
  • Oaxaca state  due to  crime .
  • Puebla state  due to  crime  and  kidnapping .
  • Queretaro state  due to  crime .
  • Quintana Roo state  due to  crime .
  • San Luis Potosi state  due to  crime  and  kidnapping .
  • Tabasco state  due to  crime .
  • Tlaxcala state  due to  crime .
  • Veracruz state  due to  crime .

Exercise Normal Precautions When Traveling To In Mexico

  • Campeche state
  • Yucatan state

Is Cancun safe in Mexico?

The Quintana Roo state − where Cancun is located − is under a Level 2 travel advisory, warning travelers to exercise increased caution due to crime.

According to the State Department, criminal activity and violence may occur at any time in any location, including in popular tourist spots. Maintain a high level of situational awareness, avoid areas where illicit activities occur and promptly depart from potentially dangerous situations. 

Travel advisory tips for Mexico trips

According to the State Department, consider these things when traveling to Mexico:

If you decide to travel to Mexico:

  • Keep traveling companions and family back home informed of your travel plans. If separating from your travel group, send a friend your GPS location. If taking a taxi alone, take a photo of the taxi number and/or license plate and text it to a friend.
  • Use toll roads when possible and avoid driving alone or at night. In many states, police presence and emergency services are extremely limited outside the state capital or major cities.
  • Exercise increased caution when visiting local bars, nightclubs, and casinos.
  • Do not display signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry.
  • Be extra vigilant when visiting banks or ATMs.
  • Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
  • Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
  • Follow the U.S. Embassy on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
  • Review the  Country Security Report  for Mexico.
  • Mariners planning travel to Mexico should check for U.S. maritime  advisories  and  alerts , which include instructions on reporting suspicious activities and attacks to Mexican naval authorities.
  • Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .
  • Visit the  CDC page  for the latest travel health information related to your travel. 

Hotel travel: Parking fees are out of control. Here's how to fight them.

What are the 4 levels of travel advisory?

Here are the four levels of travel advisory , according to the U.S. State Department:

Travel Advisory Level 1 - Exercise Normal Precautions

  • This is the lowest advisory level for safety and security risk. There is some risk in any international travel. Conditions in other countries may differ from those in the United States and may change at any time.

Travel Advisory Level 2 - Exercise Increased Caution

  • Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. The Departments of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory.

Travel Advisory Level 3 - Reconsider Travel

  • Avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory.

Travel Advisory Level 4 – Do Not Travel  

  • This is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. During an emergency, the U.S. government may have very limited ability to provide assistance. The Department of State advises that U.S. citizens not travel to the country or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory.

Cheap flights: The destinations that could see a drop in airfare prices this year

What countries have a Level 4 travel warning?

  • Afghanistan
  • Burkina Faso
  • Central African Republic
  • North Korea
  • South Sudan

What countries have a Level 3 travel warning?

  • El Salvador
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Papau New Guinea
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Trinidad & Tobago

Travel advisory tips for high-risk areas

The State Department recommends three websites for information on travel safety tips :

  • Bureau of Consular Affairs  
  • The Overseas Security Advisory Council  
  • The Federal Bureau of Investigation

Chris Sims is a digital producer for Gannett. Follow him on Twitter:  @ChrisFSims .

UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly (second, right) at the opening of a court prison complex in Somalia.

UN crime prevention chief pledges enhanced cooperation in Somalia

Facebook Twitter Print Email

The Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Ghada Waly has highlighted the threats of transnational organized crime, terrorism and corruption that is plaguing Somalia.

On a mission to the Horn of Africa nation, Executive Director Waly underscored on Friday that “ Somalia faces daunting challenges that range from terrorism to resurgent piracy, poverty and the consequences of climate change .”

A complicated crisis

Speaking to UN News in Mogadishu, Ms. Waly said interlinked threats included piracy, illegal fishing, different types of trafficking and smuggling together with terrorism, all underpinned by money laundering and corruption.

These threats also have an impact far beyond Somalia. Firearms trafficking across the Gulf of Aden supplies Al-Shabaab and other terrorist groups while migrant smugglers operating along Somalia’s northern coast transfer people towards the Arabian Peninsula. 

At the same time, unregulated foreign fishing fleets are exploiting Somalia’s marine resources, threatening biodiversity and livelihoods in the Indian Ocean.

Mogadishu coast, Somalia.

Drug trafficking could also be an expanding threat, Ms. Waly added, due to the difficulty of policing Somalia’s long coastline and the country’s connectivity in terms of air travel. 

Resilience and the rule of law

The 2013 attack on the Banadir Court Complex in Mogadishu by the militant group Al-Shabaab stands as a sombre example of these challenges. The 30 deaths, multiple casualties and damage to the facility struck “a heavy blow to the justice sector of Somalia”, Ms. Waly noted. 

Meanwhile, judges and prosecutors had fallen victim to terrorist attacks.

Improving the rule of law – important for any government – becomes even more crucial in a country confronting terrorism, organized crime and corruption, which is why Somalia and UNODC have been working together to establish the Mogadishu Prison Court Complex (MPCC).

Mogadishu prison and court complex.

Conceived, designed and delivered by UNODC, the establishment of the MPCC was a direct response to the attack on the Banadir Court Complex and stands as an example of the strong and enduring partnership between the UN and the Government of Somalia.

In Mogadishu to inaugurate the MPCC, Ms. Waly noted that the complex is now “a centre for the administration of justice", with two courtrooms, three prison blocks with a capacity of 700 beds and accommodation for judges to reduce the need for road travel during a trial.

“ It provides a secure environment for the judiciary and a humane setting for prisoners, fostering rehabilitation and long-term security .”

It is the latest in a series of construction and renovation projects supported by UNODC to help bolster Somalia’s legal and correctional infrastructure. 

Since 2010, UNODC had constructed new prisons, renovated existing detention facilities and erected Ministry of Justice buildings and other security sector facilities in Mogadishu, Bosasso, Garowe and Hargeisa.

Preventing piracy

Promoting the rule of law does not stop at Somalia’s land borders, however. Piracy off the coast of Somalia had been a threat with global consequences for years, Ms. Waly told UN News , until a recent decline.

But, geopolitical tensions in the Red Sea have escalated insecurity and affected shipping routes, with an estimated 50 per cent decrease in trade vessels passing through the Gulf of Aden due to Houthi rebel attacks from Yemen, which the rebel movement says are in solidarity with Gaza. 

Pirates, sensing the international community’s diverted attention, have increased operations with increased impunity along the Somali coast. 

A Somali coast guard crew member at the launch of a patrol boat near Mogadishu.

Since November 2023, pirates have hijacked dhows (a traditional sailing boat used in the region) and used them to carry out command-and-control attacks against larger vessels.

“These challenges pose a direct risk to international peace and security, endanger the lives of seafarers and are disrupting trade routes that many countries rely on for economic stability, food security and sustainable development,” Ms. Waly warned. 

To increase maritime security in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, UNODC is training law enforcement officers on how to detect, interdict and prosecute illicit trafficking and maritime crimes.

UNODC is also providing essential marine communications and maritime equipment to support law enforcement. In Mogadishu, for instance, Ms. Waly officially handed over a refurbished patrol vessel and communications equipment to the Somali Police Coast Guard.

A coast guard patrol boat is launched near Mogadishu in Somalia.

Through these and other efforts, Ms. Waly said, UNODC is helping Somalia improve its operational capabilities and legal framework for prosecuting piracy while enhancing collaboration on maritime security in the region.

Ms. Waly reiterated UNODC’s commitment to continue and expand its work in Somalia.

“Today, we write another chapter in Somalia’s story of resilience and hope for a future where every Somali citizen can live in peace, security and dignity,” she said.

Cookies on GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

travel warning for somalia

  • Passports, travel and living abroad
  • Travel abroad
  • Foreign travel advice

Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Somalia, including kidnapping.

UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on  staying safe abroad  and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out  how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad .

There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. You should remain vigilant at all times.

There’s a high threat to Western, including British, interests in Somalia, including Somaliland. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in crowded places, high-profile events, events involving government officials and in places visited by foreigners, such as hotels and restaurants.

Al Shabaab, a terrorist group proscribed in the UK, and other groups opposed to the Somali government continue to carry out frequent attacks, particularly in and around Mogadishu. Terrorist groups operating in Somalia have made threats against Westerners and those working for Western organisations in Somalia, including Somaliland. Methods of attack have included armed assaults, suicide bombings, car bombings, explosions, gun attacks, mortar attacks, improvised explosive devices and the bombing of a commercial aircraft. Attacks have previously been targeted at government officials and institutions, local and international security forces, hotels, restaurants and public transport including the international airport. Further attacks could occur at any time.

The Somali Government regularly carries out counter-terrorist operations against al-Shabaab, particularly in areas of central and southern Somalia. Military bases and personnel are a frequent target of al-Shabaab attacks.

Terrorist attacks targeting places frequented by civilians are commonplace and indiscriminate. Notable attacks include:

  • on 9 June 2023, there was an attack on the Pearl Beach Hotel at Lido Beach in Mogadishu. It was reported that at least 9 civilians were killed and 10 injured.
  • on 29 October 2022, two large improvised explosive devices (IED) were used to attack the Somali Ministry of Education. Reporting indicates that over 100 civilians have been killed and 300 injured in the attack.
  • on 23 October 2022, there was an attack on the Tawakal Hotel in the city of Kismayo. It was reported that 13 people were killed and 47 were injured.
  • on 19 August 2022, there was an attack at the Hayat Hotel in central Mogadishu. It was reported that 21 were killed and 117 were injured.
  • on 22 April 2022, there was a bomb attack at the Pescatore Seafood Restaurant in south Mogadishu. It was reported that 8 were killed and 27 injured.
  • on 19 February 2022, there was a bomb attack inside Hassan Dhiif restaurant in the city of Beledweyne. It was reported that 18 were killed and 30 injured.
  • on 15 April 2021, there was a bomb attack on a minibus travelling between Mogadishu and Jowhar. It was reported that at least 17 people were killed and more were injured.
  • on 16 August 2020, there was an attack on the Elite Hotel in central Mogadishu. It was reported that 15 people were killed and at least 15 injured. The hotel is popular with foreigners.

There have been no major terrorist attacks in Somaliland since 2008. While attacks occur less frequently in Somaliland, terrorists are still very likely to try to carry out attacks.

The risk of attacks in Somalia, including Somaliland, may be further heightened during religious holidays.

There is a high threat of kidnapping throughout Somalia, including in regions bordering Kenya and Ethiopia, the tri-border area, and in Somaliland. Both terrorists and criminal groups, including piracy groups, are involved in hostage-taking. A number of Western nationals, including British nationals, have been kidnapped in Somalia and some have been killed. Those engaged in humanitarian aid work, journalism or business sectors are viewed as legitimate targets. If you are kidnapped, the reason for your presence is unlikely to serve as a protection or secure your safe release.

If you are working or travelling in Somalia, including in Somaliland, you should be aware of the risk of kidnapping. You should maintain a high level of vigilance at all times, including when travelling, in crowded public places, camps for displaced people, religious gatherings and places of worship, markets, shopping malls, hotels, bars, restaurants and transport hubs. You should make sure you have carefully considered the threat and have reasonable, proportionate mitigation measures in place.

The long-standing policy of the British government is not to make substantive concessions to hostage-takers. The British government considers that paying ransoms and releasing prisoners builds the capability of terrorist groups and finances their activities. This can, in turn, increase the risk of further hostage taking. The Terrorism Act (2000) makes payments to terrorists illegal.

Related content

Is this page useful.

  • Yes this page is useful
  • No this page is not useful

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone.

What Tennessee's spring break travelers should know about Mexico amid travel warning

travel warning for somalia

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico has issued a travel warning for travelers ahead of the 2024 spring break season.

Posted on Feb. 26, the statement highlighted various safety threats including crime, drugs and unregulated alcohol. The embassy and consulates encouraged travelers to stay informed and travel smart. While the vast majority of people travel safely, visitors should consider taking safety precautions when planning their vacation or traveling in Mexico, they said.

While many Tennesseans are spending their spring breaks in the sunshine state of Florida, international travel is also up. According to AAA travel, 30% more Americans are flying internationally.

"Crime, including violent crime, can occur anywhere in Mexico, including in popular tourist destinations.  Travelers should maintain a high level of situational awareness, avoid areas where illicit activities occur, and promptly depart from potentially dangerous situations," said the advisory. "U.S. citizens should exercise increased caution in the downtown areas of popular spring break locations including Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, and Tulum, especially after dark."

The advisory also warned of drowning as some beaches have strong undercurrents and rip tides. Some beaches may lack lifeguards, warnings or signs of unsafe conditions. Illnesses or accidents could result in needing medical treatment or hospitalization in Mexico with private hospital visits being more costly than in the United States in some instances.

Looking to spend spring break in Mexico? The U.S. Embassy and Consulates recommends the following.

How to stay safe while in Mexico during spring break

  • Keep friends and family at home informed of your travel plans, especially if traveling alone.
  • Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage in Mexico, or purchase travel insurance that covers you in Mexico.  Seek coverage that includes medical evacuation and confirm costs of medical treatment in advance, when possible.
  • Avoid strong currents and do not swim after drinking or when warning flags note unsafe conditions.
  • Know your drinking companions and stay in a group of friends who have your safety in mind when you are in clubs and bars, walking in dimly lit areas or in a taxi at night.  Obey Mexican law and remember Mexican laws may differ from U.S. laws.
  • Regularly monitor your credit or debit card accounts to ensure there are no unauthorized transactions.  Limit the amount of cash you carry in public, exercise caution when withdrawing cash and avoid ATMs in isolated or unlit areas.
  • Enroll in the State Department’s  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program   to receive up-to-date information on safety conditions in Mexico and to help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency.

To read the advisory in full or to see the U.S. Embassy and Consulates' full list of safety tips, visit mx.usembassy.gov.

Diana Leyva covers trending news and service for The Tennessean. Contact her at [email protected] or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter at @_leyvadiana

Flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

travel warning for somalia

U.S. Embassy in Belgium

Side Navigation Logo

U.S. citizens should remain vigilant of their surroundings and practice sound personal security and situational awareness. Large gatherings may present a target of opportunity for terrorist groups and criminals. Terrorists – including lone actors – may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations such as markets, public venues, transportation hubs, shopping malls, places of worship, and other public areas. Visitors to congested and popular tourist areas should pay particular attention to their surroundings and always follow the instructions of police and emergency response officials.

The Belgian government has set the general threat level at 3 (“serious”). As a result, residents and visitors throughout Belgium may see a heightened security presence in public areas.

U.S. citizens traveling to Belgium should review the Country Specific Information at travel.state.gov and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for the latest travel advice and information.

Actions to take:

• Avoid large demonstrations and exercise caution at large public venues.

• Be aware of your surroundings and trust your instincts. If you see something that seems odd or out of place, immediately notify the nearest law enforcement officer and move away from the area.

• Always carry your cellphone, programmed with local emergency numbers; Ambulance and Fire Brigade (100), Europe-wide emergency number (police)(112).

• Exercise caution if unexpectedly in the vicinity of large gatherings or protests.

• Follow the instructions of authorities and road signs regarding closures and detours.

• Monitor local media for updates.

• Keep a low profile.

Assistance:

  • U.S. Embassy in Belgium , located at 27 Boulevard du Regent/Regentlaan, 1000 Brussels.  Tel. +32-2-811-4000, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday through Friday, except U.S. and Belgian holidays.  After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +32-2-811-4000;  [email protected] .
  • To contact the State Department in an emergency, dial 1-888-407-4747 toll-free from within the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries.
  • Belgium Country Information .
  • Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive security messages.
  • Follow us on  Twitter  and  Facebook .

travel warning for somalia

Yes, if one of the parties legally resides in the country. You should provide a “Bewijs van Woonst voor Huwelijksdoeleinden/ Certificat de Domicile pour Mariage” (Certificate of Residence for Marriage Purposes).

You can track your U.S. Passport Application Status here .

You may renew your passport at any time before or after it expires. For more information, please read here .

Through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program STEP .

Both parents/guardians must authorize the issuance of the child's passport. The best way to do this is for both parents/guardians to go with the child in person to apply for the passport. If one parent can appear for the interview only, the other parent should provide a signed and notarized Statement of Consent DS\-3053 , but no more than 90 days in advance of the interview.

Use up to three keywords instead of using a full sentence for the best search results.

product warranty

free shipping offer

Would you help us improve our website

Note: This feature is strictly for feedback about your experience using the website. All other questions and feedback will be disregarded. Thank you for your understanding. You are visiting a website that just underwent a redesign. Please take a few moments to provide us with your valuable feedback.

Note: This feature is strictly for feedback about your experience using the website.

Please take a few moments to provide us with your valuable feedback. Note: This feature is strictly for feedback about your experience using the website. All other questions and feedback will be disregarded.

{{ error }}

* Please see our Contact Us page for more information on how to reach us.

Thank you for sharing your feedback!

Please call: (+32)(0)2-811-4000

Outside of Office Hours, contact: (+32)(0)2-811-4000

Outside of Belgium: (+32)(0)2-811-4000

Please call: 216 8000

Outside of Office Hours, contact: 216 8000

Outside of Mexico: [011](591-2) 216-8000

The April total solar eclipse could snarl traffic for hours across thousands of miles

travel warning for somalia

Millions of Americans will be looking to the sky during a rare total solar eclipse on April 8 , and experts warn the excitement could create dangerous and busy traffic conditions as people pack into the narrow band of the country with the best view.

"Pack your patience, whether traveling a great distance or locally, people will be out and about to catch a glimpse of the eclipse," said Aixa Diaz, a spokesperson for the American Automobile Association.

Roads could be especially packed at the center of the eclipse's path as Americans who want the best view crowd into cities, towns and remote areas, many without the infrastructure to handle big crowds.

A similar scenario played out in 2017 during the nation's last total solar eclipse , where congestion in some areas lasted for up to 13 hours after the totality of the eclipse, according to Transportation Research News , a National Research Council publication. An analysis of traffic patterns from that year suggests that the worst of the traffic — both on big interstates and rural backroads — will kick off after the eclipse ends and everyone tries to exit all at once.

This year, in Ohio's Lorain County, county officials are warning residents to be aware about the increase in visitors, traffic and jammed roads — and possible cell phone signal drops.

“What we could have is crowds here that we’re not used to,” wrote Dave Freeman, the director of Lorain County Emergency Management. “We’re not set up infrastructure-wise for that, we don’t have the roads.”

Where will traffic be the worst during 2024 total solar eclipse?

Roads in states where sky gazers will travel to see the centerline of totality will be most prone to traffic jams.

Even though Oklahoma only has a small corner of the state in the path of totality, the state "is expected to receive an influx of anywhere from 17,000 to 66,000 visitors to watch the solar eclipse," reads an announcement from Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Officials there are warning residents "the large influx of visitors to southeastern Oklahoma could overwhelm and backup the area's road systems," including two-lane highways passing through small towns.

They advise residents to expect hotels and visiting areas at maximum capacity, increased traffic and delays in deliveries.

A coast-to-coast traffic nightmare What will the solar eclipse mean for drivers?

The last total solar eclipse snarled US traffic

Wyoming Department of Transportation spokesman Doug McGee said more than 536,000 cars filled the state's streets after the eclipse in 2017 and the state highway system "was taxed like it’s never been before," The Denver Post reported.

And "travel from Casper, Wyoming, to Denver, Colorado—normally a 4-hour trip—took 10 hours or more," according to an analysis of traffic from Transportation Research News.

The analysis's author Jonathan Upchurch said most sky gazers traveled to the paths of totality by car, "roadways experienced very little traffic congestion on the days leading up to totality" and "almost every Interstate route passing through the path of totality showed red on Google Traffic maps" after the eclipse reached totality.

The 2017 traffic woes followed warnings from officials .

Be careful if you're driving during the eclipse

Texas state officials are also warning drivers to "be on alert for distracted pedestrians looking to the sky." They also say drivers should not wear eclipse glasses, which block out most light, while driving.

Here's where and when to see it A total solar eclipse will cross the US in April

Officials there and elsewhere along the solar eclipse's line of totality are recommending drivers keep their headlights on, be mindful of pedestrians on the road and even stock up on essentials like fuel and food ahead of the eclipse.

AAA, which insures drivers across the country, is also warning people that sky gazers looking for a good view of the eclipse will be on the roads. They recommend drivers put their sun visors in their cars down to block their view of the sun and watch closely for pedestrian traffic.

How should Americans prepare for traffic jams?

AAA and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol suggest several ways Americans can prepare for traffic jams related to the solar eclipse:

  • Plan ahead so you don't have to travel to errands or appointments around when the eclipse is happening.
  • Don't pull over on the side of a road or highway to view the eclipse — Find a parking area instead.
  • Fuel up before the eclipse and have some essentials on hand while traveling

When and where can you view the 2024 total solar eclipse?

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon blocks the sun's light , leading to a period of partial or full darkness on Earth.

The path of totality, where the sun is fully blocked, in the U.S. begins in Texas and the eclipse starts around 1:27 p.m. local time.

Cities on the centerline of the April 8 eclipse include Dallas, Texas , Cleveland, Ohio and Buffalo, New York, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Contributing: Ashley May, Janet Loehrke, Ramon Padilla and Ahjané Forbes, USA TODAY

Contact Kayla Jimenez at [email protected] .  Follow her on X at @kaylajjimenez.

travel warning for somalia

Middle East Crisis Harris Calls for ‘Immediate Cease-Fire,’ Urging Hamas to Agree

  • Share full article

[object Object]

  • Amid rubble in Gaza City on Sunday. -/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
  • Palestinians salvaging clothing from a destroyed house in Rafah on Sunday. Said Khatib/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
  • A damaged cargo ship, the Rubymar, in the Red Sea on Thursday. Al-Joumhouriya TV/EPA, via Shutterstock
  • An Israeli military vehicle before entering Gaza on Sunday, as seen from southern Israel. Amir Cohen/Reuters
  • A Palestinian man getting his beard trimmed at a roadside barbershop in Rafah on Sunday. Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
  • The funeral of an Israeli soldier killed in the Gaza Strip, in Shlomi, Israel on Sunday. Ariel Schalit/Associated Press
  • Palestinians looking at the damage on Sunday following strikes in Rafah, Gaza. Haitham Imad/EPA, via Shutterstock
  • Smoke rising above Wazzani, Lebanon, on Sunday. Jalaa Marey/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
  • A mother held the bodies of two infant girls killed in a strike in Rafah on Sunday. Haitham Imad/EPA, via Shutterstock
  • Sunset over Gaza as seen from Israel on Sunday. Amir Cohen/Reuters

Harris calls for an ‘immediate cease-fire’ in her most forceful comments on the conflict in Gaza.

Kamala harris calls for ‘immediate cease-fire’ in gaza, during a speech in selma, ala., the vice president called on hamas to agree to a six-week pause that is on the table and for immediate aid to those living in gaza..

Hamas claims it wants a cease-fire. Well, there is a deal on the table. And as we have said, Hamas needs to agree to that deal. Let’s get a cease-fire. Let’s reunite the hostages with their families, and let’s provide immediate relief to the people of Gaza. And given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate cease-fire, for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table.

Video player loading

Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday called for an “immediate cease-fire” in Gaza, saying that Hamas should agree to the six-week pause currently on the table and that Israel should increase the flow of aid into the besieged enclave amid a humanitarian crisis.

Ms. Harris’s remarks, delivered in Selma, Ala., bolstered a recent push by President Joe Biden for an agreement and came a day before she was to meet with a top Israeli cabinet official involved in war planning, Benny Gantz. Her tone echoed a sharper and more urgent tone coming from the White House as its frustration with Israel grows. Last month, the president called Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack “over the top.”

Ms. Harris assailed the dire conditions in Gaza, calling the situation a “humanitarian catastrophe.” It was her most forceful assessment to date of the Middle East conflict, which has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians, according to Gazan health authorities, and put the enclave on the brink of famine.

“What we are seeing every day in Gaza is devastating,” Ms. Harris said. “We have seen reports of families eating leaves or animal feed. Women giving birth to malnourished babies with little or no medical care. And children dying from malnutrition and dehydration. As I have said many times, too many innocent Palestinians have been killed.”

“The threat Hamas poses to the people of Israel must be eliminated,” Ms. Harris added. “And given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate cease-fire, for at least the next six weeks.”

Mr. Biden has been pushing for a deal between Hamas and Israel that would allow for the release of hostages and a temporary cease-fire by Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that starts around March 10. U.S. officials said that Israel had “more or less accepted” terms of the deal, but Hamas has yet to agree to it.

Ms. Harris reiterated the United States’ support for Israel’s right to defend itself against the ongoing threat from Hamas, which she said had no regard for innocent life in Israel or in Gaza. Ms. Harris called Hamas a “brutal terrorist organization” that poses a threat to Israel and should be eliminated.

“Hamas claims it wants a cease-fire,” she said. “Well, there is a deal on the table.”

Ms. Harris spoke at a time when the political consequences of the Biden administration’s unwavering support for Israel are beginning to come into sharper focus. While Mr. Biden has increasingly criticized Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 attack, his rejection of calls for a permanent cease-fire and a series of earlier missteps in showing a lack of empathy for Palestinians have divided the Democratic Party. They have also alienated key constituents, including Black, young and Arab American voters.

Opponents of the war and pro-Palestinian protesters have followed Mr. Biden to events across the country to protest his support for Israel in the war. Prominent Black faith leaders have called on the administration to halt financial assistance for Israel, alleging that its military campaign amounts to “mass genocide.”

In perhaps the most glaring warning sign to date, more than 100,000 people, many of them Arab Americans, voted “uncommitted” in Michigan’s primary last week — a preview of what could unfold in other key swing states that helped elect Mr. Biden in 2020.

Ms. Harris also said on Sunday that Israel must do more to allow for the flow of aid into Gaza, including opening new border crossings, lifting unnecessary restrictions on aid deliveries and restoring services to Gaza.

“People in Gaza are starving,” Ms. Harris said. “The conditions are inhumane. And our common humanity compels us to act.”

She condemned a scene that unfolded on Thursday, when more than 100 Gazans desperate for food descended on an aid convoy and were met with what Ms. Harris called “chaos and gunfire,” after Israel opened fire on the crowd.

Israeli and Palestinian officials and witnesses have offered different accounts of the episode, with Israeli officials blaming the crush of the crowd for most of the deaths, while witnesses described extensive gunfire by Israeli forces.

“The Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid,” Ms. Harris said. “No excuses.”

Ms. Harris’s remarks, delivered at the Edmund Pettus Bridge during a commemoration of Bloody Sunday, a major civil rights event in 1965, drew applause at points from the crowd.

On March 7, 1965, Black Americans were beaten by white law enforcement officers on the bridge for marching for their right to vote. The event was widely credited with galvanizing support for the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which passed five months later.

Zolan Kanno-Youngs contributed reporting.

— Erica L. Green Reporting from Selma, Ala.

travel warning for somalia

Maps: Tracking the Attacks in Israel and Gaza

See where Israel has bulldozed vast areas of Gaza, as its invasion continues to advance south.

Most of the aid trucks bound for northern Gaza were stopped along the way.

Days after an aid delivery in Gaza turned into a deadly disaster, another convoy coordinated by the Israeli military failed to deliver most of its aid to desperate people in the north, Izzat Aqel, a Palestinian businessman involved in the initiative, said on Sunday.

Mr. Aqel, who was also involved in the aid delivery operation with the Israeli military that turned bloody last Thursday, said that 16 trucks carrying supplies were sent to the north on Saturday, but that only one made it to Gaza City. The rest, he said, had been swarmed and emptied in the Nuseirat neighborhood in central Gaza.

Fifteen more trucks set out for the north on Sunday evening and were slated to enter the area via an inland north-south road, he said.

The renewed missions — part of a newly hatched partnership with local businessmen — showed that Israel was pressing ahead with efforts to bring aid to northern Gaza, even after scores of hungry Palestinians were killed in the chaotic melee on Thursday.

It was not clear if the army was making significant changes to prevent a repeat of Thursday’s events. Representatives for the Israeli army referred questions about the effort to COGAT, the Israeli agency responsible for coordinating aid deliveries into Gaza.

COGAT did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The agency wrote on social media that 277 trucks entered Gaza on Sunday, which it said was the highest single-day total since the start of the war. But it was unclear how many of those trucks reached northern Gaza.

The convoy that arrived in Gaza City before dawn on Thursday ended in devastation. More than 100 Palestinians were killed after many thousands of people massed around trucks laden with food and supplies, Gazan health officials said.

Israeli and Palestinian officials and witnesses offered sharply divergent accounts of the chaos. Witnesses described extensive shooting by Israeli forces, and doctors at Gaza hospitals said that most of the casualties were from gunfire. Israeli officials said most of the victims were trampled in a crush of people trying to seize the cargo, although they acknowledged that troops had opened fire at members of the crowd who, the military said, had approached “in a manner that endangered them.”

The operation came as hunger and starvation continue to stalk the north of Gaza at extreme levels, prompting the United Nations to warn of a looming famine . The World Food Program and other U.N. agencies have said that they were no longer able to deliver aid to the north, citing civilian attempts to rush aid trucks, Israeli restrictions on convoys, and the poor condition of roads damaged during the war. On Saturday, the United States conducted its first airdrop of aid , although U.S. officials have said such operations cannot move supplies at the same scale as convoys.

The Gaza health ministry said on Sunday that 15 children have died in recent days from what it described as malnutrition and dehydration at Kamal Adwan Hospital in the north. The ministry did not provide further details about the deaths, but it said that the hospital had run out of oxygen and fuel to power generators and was barely operating with very limited supplies. The ministry added in a statement that the lives of six other children in the intensive care unit were in danger from malnutrition and dehydration.

Adele Khodr, UNICEF’s director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement on Sunday that one in six children under the age of 2 in Gaza was acutely malnourished.

“These tragic and horrific deaths are man-made, predictable and entirely preventable,” she said of the reported deaths at Kamal Adwan.

Driven by hunger, desperate Gazans were still gathering at the same spot where many deaths were reported on Thursday, in hopes that more aid would come.

“Even after the massacre people are still going to Al-Rashid Street every day and will continue to until they secure any aid,” Ghada Ikrayyem, a 23-year-old resident of northern Gaza, said. “We expected people to be scared after what happened on Thursday, but we were surprised to see that even more people were going there now.”

Ms. Ikrayyem’s brother Muhammed, 30, who is deaf and mute, slept on the beach for three days awaiting the aid trucks, she said. But after dodging bullets on Thursday, he managed to come home with a 25-kilogram bag of flour that 50 relatives sheltering together were now rationing and mixing with animal feed to make it last as long as possible, she added.

“He came home terrified, he saw dead bodies everywhere,” Ms. Ikrayyem said in a telephone interview on Sunday. But despite narrowly escaping death on Thursday, Muhammed has returned to the same spot every day since, hoping to secure another bag of flour, she added.

Hwaida Saad contributed reporting from Beirut, Lebanon.

— Hiba Yazbek and Adam Rasgon

The Rubymar was carrying fertilizer that the U.S. says threatens the waterway.

A British-owned cargo ship sank in the Red Sea about two weeks after being damaged in a missile attack by the Iran-backed Houthi militia, and the fertilizer it was carrying now posed an environmental risk, the United States military said late Saturday.

The assault last month on the vessel , the Rubymar, involved two antiship ballistic missiles launched from Yemen. The sinking appeared to be the first since the Houthis began targeting ships in an effort to put pressure on Israel to end its military siege in Gaza.

The U.S. military’s Central Command confirmed the Rubymar’s sinking in a statement on social media. It said the ship sank early Saturday while carrying a load of 21,000 metric tons of ammonium phosphate sulfate fertilizer that now presented “an environmental risk in the Red Sea.”

The ship also poses a “subsurface impact risk” to other ships moving through the area, a busy international shipping lane, the Central Command said.

The Rubymar was an “environmental disaster” even before sinking because the attack created an 18-mile oil slick, Central Command warned last month . It said that the disaster could worsen if the fertilizer were to spill into the sea.

No other details about the sinking, or the risks it posed to the environment or to commercial shipping, were immediately available on Sunday morning. The Rubymar sailed with a Belize flag. The ship’s operator, Blue Fleet Group, based in Greece, did not respond to an inquiry.

After the attack last month, the Rubymar’s 24 crew members were taken to Djibouti by a vessel operated by a French shipping company. Djibouti port officials said at the time that the crew members were from Syria, Egypt, India and the Philippines.

— Mike Ives

A Hamas delegation arrives in Cairo for cease-fire talks, though Israel opts out.

A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Sunday for talks aimed at achieving a cease-fire in the war in Gaza and an exchange of hostages held by militants there for Palestinian prisoners, according to an official in the group, Basem Naim. But a breakthrough in the negotiations did not appear to be imminent, as Israel decided not to attend.

Israel made the decision after Qatar’s prime minister informed David Barnea, the head of Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence service, on Sunday that Hamas had refused an Israeli request to provide a list of the hostages who were still alive, according to an Israeli official.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said on Thursday that he had requested the names of hostages who would be freed in an agreement.

Another factor that figured into Israel’s decision was that Hamas declined to consent to the terms for swapping hostages for Palestinian prisoners that the United States presented in Paris about 10 days ago , said two Israeli officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized publicly.

The U.S. outline entailed Israel releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 40 hostages, with different numbers of prisoners being traded for different categories of hostages, according to two officials with knowledge of the negotiations.

Mr. Naim declined to respond to the claims about the Hamas refusals.

The United States has been pushing for a cease-fire ahead of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that starts in about a week, but slow progress in the talks has made that challenging.

Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, was leading the delegation in Cairo, Mr. Naim said in a text message.

Sticking points in the negotiations have been the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released, including the number of those serving life sentences, and whether a cease-fire will be permanent or temporary.

On Saturday, a senior U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic efforts, told reporters that Israel had “more or less accepted” a framework for the deal and that the ball was now in Hamas’s court.

But Mahmoud Mardawi, a Hamas official, suggested on Saturday that the talks were not advancing.

“We haven’t seen any change in the Israeli position at all,” Mr. Mardawi told Al Jazeera in a live interview. “It hasn’t offered us anything.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has said progress in the talks would require Hamas to soften its “ludicrous demands.”

President Biden said on Thursday that the bloodshed in northern Gaza earlier in the day, when scores of Palestinians were killed after Israeli forces opened fire around a convoy of aid trucks , would complicate negotiations for a cease-fire.

“I know it will,” he told reporters in Washington, as he backed away from his earlier prediction that an agreement could be in place by Monday. “Probably not by Monday, but I’m hopeful,” he said.

The Israeli military has said most of those who died in the chaotic scene on Thursday were killed in a crush around the vehicles. Palestinian witnesses and doctors have said Israeli forces fired extensively, wounding and killing many.

— Adam Rasgon reporting from Jerusalem

U.N. experts warn that Gaza is close to famine. What does that mean?

The aid delivery that ended in bloodshed this week showed the extent of Gazans’ desperation, with dozens killed after many thousands converged on a rare convoy of aid trucks. As the number of aid deliveries into Gaza has rapidly dropped and Palestinians struggle to find food, humanitarians and United Nations officials are warning that famine is imminent in the enclave.

For aid groups and the U.N., officially determining that a famine exists is a technical process. It requires analysis by experts, and only government authorities and top U.N. officials can declare one.

So how is famine defined, and what do experts say about the severity of hunger in Gaza ? Here’s a closer look.

What is a famine?

Food insecurity experts working on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification , or I.P.C., an initiative controlled by U.N. bodies and major relief agencies, identify a famine in an area on the basis of three conditions:

At least 20 percent of households face an extreme lack of food.

At least 30 percent of children suffer from acute malnutrition.

At least two adults or four children for every 10,000 people die each day from starvation or disease linked to malnutrition.

Since the I.P.C. was developed in 2004, it has been used to identify only two famines: in Somalia in 2011, and in South Sudan in 2017. In Somalia, more than 100,000 people died before famine was officially declared.

I.P.C. analysts expressed grave concern about food insecurity in Yemen and Ethiopia, related to the civil wars in those countries, but said not enough information was available from governments to issue a formal assessment.

The classifications of famine in Somalia and South Sudan galvanized global action and spurred large donations. Aid workers and hunger experts point out that the hunger crisis in Gaza is already dire, with or without a famine classification, and aid is needed quickly.

“For me, what is important is to basically say that look, technically we haven’t met the conditions of a famine, and frankly we don’t want to meet those conditions,” said Arif Husain, the chief economist of the World Food Program. “So please help, and please help now.”

What is the situation in Gaza?

Palestinians, particularly in the north, have been fighting starvation and regularly converge on the relatively few aid trucks that enter the territory. Aid groups say people are so hungry they are resorting to eating leaves, donkey feed and food scraps.

The first I.P.C. report on Gaza, released in December, found that the enclave’s entire population was experiencing food insecurity at crisis or worse levels. Though the group said Gaza had not yet crossed the famine threshold, it warned that the risk of famine-level hunger would increase if the war did not stop.

A second food security analysis is now underway, the I.P.C. group said.

What are the complications?

The December I.P.C. analysis relied on publicly available data from international and local aid groups in Gaza that the group said met its methodology standards. But I.P.C. analysts said they lacked recent data on the prevalence of acute malnutrition. Getting that data is very difficult in a war zone and poses a burden on already overwhelmed health care workers, the group added.

The organization’s criteria were originally designed to address weather-related famine, not crises like the one in Gaza, Mr. Husain said. But most severe hunger crises in recent history have been driven by conflict rather than climate, he noted.

And while I.P.C. experts perform the analysis that can classify a famine, it is up to government authorities and the United Nations to formally declare one.

In some cases, countries have hesitated to do so. In 2022, Somalia’s president expressed reluctance to declare a famine during a severe hunger crisis brought on by a drought. And in 2021, Ethiopia blocked the declaration of famine in the Tigray region through heavy lobbying, according to a top U.N. official .

It is unclear exactly what authority could declare a famine in Gaza. The I.P.C. group said the process typically involves the government in a country and its top U.N. official. Determining who that authority would be in Gaza was beyond the organization’s scope, it said.

Stephanie Nolen contributed reporting.

— Gaya Gupta

An Israeli strike near a hospital in Rafah killed at least 11 people, Gaza health officials say.

Videos show aftermath of deadly israeli airstrike in rafah, gazan health authorities said that at least 11 people were killed and dozens were injured after an israeli strike outside a hospital in rafah, gaza. the israeli military said it had carried out a “precision strike” against “islamic jihad terrorists” near the hospital..

(child screams) (screaming)

Video player loading

An Israeli strike outside a hospital in Rafah, in southern Gaza, on Saturday killed at least 11 people and injured dozens of other displaced Palestinians, including children, who were sheltering in tents nearby, the Gaza Health Ministry said.

At least two health care workers, including a paramedic, were among those killed after the strike near the gate of the Emirati maternity hospital, the health ministry said.

Photos taken by news agencies showed colleagues of the paramedic, whom the health ministry identified as Abdul Fattah Abu Marai, taking his body to the nearby Kuwaiti hospital, as well as injured children lying on stretchers, as other children looked on and cried.

The Israeli military said later Saturday that, with help from Israel’s domestic security agency, it had carried out a “precision strike” against “Islamic Jihad terrorists” near the hospital. The military declined to respond to reports that the strike had injured children.

The Israeli military had previously declared that Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city, would be a safe zone for civilians, and more than half of the enclave’s entire population is now crammed into it, with many living in makeshift tents over nearly every inch of available space.

But airstrikes on Rafah have continued even as the number of people sheltering there has swelled to around 1.5 million. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has vowed that his forces will invade the city whether or not a temporary cease-fire deal is reached, despite dire warnings from humanitarian groups and many of Israel’s allies that any military operation in Rafah would have catastrophic consequences for civilians.

The news of Saturday’s strike was “outrageous and unspeakable,” the leader of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on social media , reiterating calls for a cease-fire and for the protection of health care workers and civilians.

The victims of the strike were sheltering near the Emirati maternity hospital, one of the last hospitals still functioning in Gaza. Despite having only five beds remaining for women giving birth, the hospital is managing more than half of the estimated 180 births happening daily in the enclave, said Dominic Allen, the State of Palestine representative for the United Nations Population Fund, a sexual and reproductive health agency known as U.N.F.P.A.

The Emirati hospital is essentially “the last hope for pregnant women in the whole of Gaza,” Mr. Allen said. A strike so close to the hospital poses a “terrifying” risk to pregnant women, newborns and the overloaded health care workers trying to care for them, he added.

— Anushka Patil

U.N. Team Finds Grounds to Support Reports of Sexual Violence in Hamas Attack

A United Nations report released on Monday found signs that sexual violence was committed in multiple locations during the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack on Israel and said that some hostages being held in the Gaza Strip had also been subjected to rape and sexual torture.

From late January to early February, the United Nations deployed a team of experts to Israel and the West Bank led by Pramila Patten, the secretary-general’s special representative on sexual violence in conflict.

In their report , the experts said they had found “reasonable grounds” to believe that sexual violence occurred during the Hamas-led incursion into Israel, including rape and gang rape in at least three locations: the Nova music festival site and the area around it, as well as Road 232 and Kibbutz Re’im.

“In most of these incidents, victims first subjected to rape were then killed, and at least two incidents relate to the rape of women’s corpses,” the report said.

The U.N. report, which also cited allegations that Palestinians detained by Israel have also been sexually abused, was issued three months after The New York Times published an extensive report on sexual violence during the Hamas-led attack, including several incidents along Road 232. Hamas leaders denied the accusations, and the U.N. report, noting the array of fighters who took part in the Oct. 7 attack, said its experts could not determine who was responsible for the sexual assaults.

In their report, the U.N. experts cited indications of sexual violence that had not previously been widely reported, including the rape of a woman outside a bomb shelter at the entrance of Kibbutz Re’im. That incident was corroborated by witness testimony and digital material, the report said.

The experts said they had also found “a pattern of victims, mostly women, found fully or partially naked, bound, and shot across multiple locations.” Although the evidence was circumstantial, they said, the pattern could indicate some form of sexual violence and torture.

When it came to the hostages seized in Israel and taken to Gaza, the report offered a more conclusive finding.

It said it had found “clear and convincing information” based on firsthand accounts of released hostages that sexual violence, including rape, sexualized torture, and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment, was inflicted against some women and children during their time in captivity. It also said there were reasonable grounds to believe that such abuse was taking place against the hostages still being held.

Israel welcomed the report for recognizing “that the crimes were committed simultaneously in different locations and point to a pattern of rape, torture and sexual abuse,” a spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Ministry said.

The U.N. report said that its experts could not verify the reports of sexual violence in Kibbutz Kfar Aza or Kibbutz Be’eri. But in both places, it said, circumstantial information — “notably the recurring pattern of female victims found undressed, bound, and shot,” in Kfar Aza, for example — indicated that sexual violence, including “potential sexualized torture,” may have occurred.

It said that two specific allegations of sexual violence in Kibbutz Be’eri that were widely repeated by the media, however, were “unfounded.”

First responders told The Times they had found bodies of women with signs of sexual assault at those two kibbutzim, but The Times, in its report, did not refer to the specific allegations that the U.N. said were unfounded.

The U.N. report detailed the daunting challenges to determining what happened on the day of the attack.

To begin with, it was nearly impossible to gain access to the sort of forensic evidence often used to establish sexual assault. In part, this was because of the large number of casualties and the widely dispersed attack sites.

The report also said that first responders — often untrained volunteers — focused more on search and rescue operations and the recovery of the dead than on gathering evidence. And many of the bodies were badly burned, compromising any evidence.

The experts said they had put out calls to women in Israel who survived assaults on Oct. 7 to come forward, but had not talked to any directly. A small number of survivors, they said, were reported to still be in treatment for trauma.

They also noted a deep reservoir of suspicion among Israelis toward international organizations like the United Nations, as well as the fact that the team was on the ground for a limited period of two and a half weeks.

“Overall, the mission team is of the view that the true prevalence of sexual violence during the 7 October attacks and their aftermath may take months or years to emerge and may never be fully known,” said the report.

The report said that the U.N. team had also heard accounts of sexual violence against Palestinians that implicated Israeli security forces and settlers.

Palestinian officials and civil society representatives, it said, told the U.N. team of “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of Palestinians in detention, including various forms of sexual violence in the form of invasive body searches, threats of rape, and prolonged forced nudity, as well as sexual harassment and threats of rape, during house raids and at checkpoints.”

The U.N. team asked the government of Israel to give access to other U.N. bodies, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the occupied Palestinian Territory, so they can conduct thorough independent investigations into these allegations.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lior Haiat, said, “Israel rejects the report’s call to investigate Palestinian claims regarding ‘sexual violence by Israeli elements.’”

Ms. Patten had said that her trip was not intended to be investigative — other U.N. agencies have that mandate, she said — but to “give voices” to victims and survivors and find ways to offer them support, including justice and accountability.

The U.N. team included technical experts who could interpret forensic evidence, analyze open-source digital information and conduct interviews with victims and witnesses of sexual violence, the report said.

Ms. Patten said one challenge the U.N. experts had faced was sifting through the paucity of reliable information, and inaccurate accounts from untrained people.

“On one hand,” she said, “we have the fog of war that often silences grounds of sexual violence. But we have also seen in the history of war instances where sexual violence can be weaponized”

— Farnaz Fassihi and Isabel Kershner Farnaz Fassihi reported from the United Nations, and Isabel Kershner from Jerusalem.

Advertisement

IMAGES

  1. UK renews advisory against travel to Somalia

    travel warning for somalia

  2. Kenya and Somalia Travel Warning

    travel warning for somalia

  3. Somalia travel advice

    travel warning for somalia

  4. From early warning to early action in Somalia

    travel warning for somalia

  5. Terrorism

    travel warning for somalia

  6. Safety in Somaliland

    travel warning for somalia

COMMENTS

  1. Somalia Travel Advisory

    Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed. Do not travel to Somalia due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, health issues, kidnapping, and piracy.. Country Summary: Violent crime, such as kidnapping and murder, is common throughout Somalia, including Puntland and the Somaliland region.Illegal roadblocks are widespread. Some schools and other facilities acting as "cultural ...

  2. Travel Alert for U.S. Citizens

    Kenya Resumes Flights to and from Somalia. Travel Alert: U.S. Embassy Mogadishu (June 14, 2021) Location: Somalia Event: Kenya's Civil Aviation Authority has permitted the resumption of non-military flights departing for and arriving from Somalia. The Department of State has issued a Level 4 Travel Advisory for Somalia and advises U.S. citizens not to travel to Somalia due to COVID-19, crime ...

  3. Somalia Travel Alert

    Somalia Travel Alert. Do not travel to Somalia due to COVID-19, crime , terrorism, civil unrest, health issues, kidnapping, and piracy. Read the Department of State's COVID-19 page before you plan any international travel. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a level 3 Travel Health Notice for Somalia due to COVID-19.

  4. Somalia International Travel Information

    Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution and Travel Advisories.

  5. Travel Advisories

    Somalia Travel Advisory: Level 4: Do Not Travel: July 31, 2023: South Africa Travel Advisory: Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution: February 5, 2024: ... TRAVEL ADVISORIES AND ALERTS: THE DETAILS Enroll in STEP. Subscribe to get up-to-date safety and security information and help us reach you in an emergency abroad.

  6. Somalia travel advice

    If you're in the UK and are concerned about a British national in Somalia (including Somaliland), call the FCDO on 020 7008 5000. Latest FCDO travel advice for Somalia including on entry ...

  7. Somalia

    Monitor travel advisories and alerts and read travel tips from the US Department of State. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). Leave a copy of your itinerary, contact information, credit cards, and passport with someone at home. ... Use the Healthy Travel Packing List for Somalia for a list of health-related items to ...

  8. Travel advice and advisories for Somalia

    Similar incidents could occur without warning. Demonstrations could also occur and turn violent at any time. If you are in Somalia: monitor the local media to stay informed on the evolving situation; follow the advice of local authorities; Terrorism. There is a threat of terrorism, particularly in south-central Somalia and in the capital ...

  9. Somalia

    Mogadishu, Somalia (reopened October 2019 on the grounds of the Mogadishu Airport); US citizens may call US Dept of State (202)-501-4444 for emergencies; alternate contact is the embassy in Kenya; [254] (20) 363-6000; US Embassy Nairobi, United Nations Avenue Nairobi, PO Box 606 Village Market, 00621 Nairobi, Kenya; [email protected]; https ...

  10. Safety and security

    Latest FCDO travel advice for Somalia including on entry requirements, ... Political and community-based violence is commonplace across Somalia and can flare up with little warning. There was ...

  11. Somalia Travel Advice & Safety

    Australian Government travel advice for Somalia. Do not travel. Travel advice level RED. Understand the risks, safety, laws and contacts. ... Don't wait for official warnings, such as alarms or sirens. Once on high ground, check local media. Severe weather. Somalia's weather can be extreme. There are regular droughts and floods.

  12. Travel advice for Somalia

    Receive all the updates on the FDFA's travel advice by subscribing to the free email service Travel Admin App Information and round-the-clock assistance worldwide - travel carefree with the FDFA's new app in your pocket.

  13. Travel Advisory Updates

    Office of the Spokesperson. April 19, 2021. State Department Travel Advisory Updates. In order to provide U.S. travelers detailed and actionable information to make informed travel decisions, the Department of State regularly assesses and updates our Travel Advisories, based primarily on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC ...

  14. Travel Advice for Somalia

    Travelling to Somalia and want to know the latest government travel advice for Somalia? Visit here get the updated travel advice and travel warning for Somalia from governments around the world.

  15. Latest Somalia Travel Alerts and Warnings

    How are coronavirus (COVID-19) travel restrictions affecting Somalia? Get the latest travel warnings and alerts.

  16. Message for U.S. Citizens: Spring Break Travel

    Read the Mexico Travel Advisory and Country Information Page for details on travel throughout Mexico, including entry requirements. Enroll in the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive up-to-date information on safety conditions in Mexico and to help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency.

  17. Somalia Sanctions

    Yes, non-governmental organizations may provide humanitarian assistance in Somalia without the need for a license from OFAC. Organizations considering entering Somali territory to conduct assistance operations should be aware that areas of Somalia are extremely unstable and dangerous, and should review the State Department's Travel Warning for Somalia.

  18. US shares Mexico travel warning ahead of spring break

    The U.S. State Department's travel advisory for the country notes various warning levels for different states, ranging from Level 1 ("exercise normal precautions") through 4 ("do not travel").

  19. Somalia-Turkey security deal: How does it impact Ethiopia?

    02/26/2024 February 26, 2024. Somalia's recent deal with Turkey has raised the stakes in a simmering maritime dispute with Ethiopia. Experts say it could escalate the conflict in the Horn of Africa.

  20. US issues travel warning for mega-popular spring break tourist spots

    The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico have issued a travel warning ahead of the busy spring break tourist season. The message warns about a variety of safety threats in the country, especially ...

  21. U.S. Issues Travel Warning for Mexico

    The U.S. Embassy Just Issued a Travel Warning for El Salvador Beaches — Here's Why U.S. Extends Land Border Closure With Canada, Mexico Until Oct. 21 State Department Issues Travel Advisory for ...

  22. Coronavirus

    Coronavirus travel health. Check the latest information on risk from COVID-19 for Somalia on the TravelHealthPro website. The Entry Requirements section has advice for travellers on proof of ...

  23. Travel advisory 2024: What to know on U.S. spring break ...

    The U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Mexico issued a spring break travel advisory on Feb. 26. Violent crime is widespread and common in Mexico, according to the U.S. State Department. Crimes such as ...

  24. UN crime prevention chief pledges enhanced cooperation in Somalia

    On a mission to the Horn of Africa nation, Executive Director Waly underscored on Friday that "Somalia faces daunting challenges that range from terrorism to resurgent piracy, poverty and the consequences of climate change." A complicated crisis. Speaking to UN News in Mogadishu, Ms. Waly said interlinked threats included piracy, illegal fishing, different types of trafficking and ...

  25. Terrorism

    Latest FCDO travel advice for Somalia including on entry requirements, ... Get email alerts Terrorism Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Somalia, including kidnapping. ...

  26. What spring break travelers should know amid Mexico travel warning

    The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico has issued a travel warning for travelers ahead of the 2024 spring break season. Posted on Feb. 26, the statement highlighted various safety threats ...

  27. MESSAGE FOR U.S. CITIZENS: PERSONAL SECURITY (04 March 2024)

    U.S. citizens traveling to Belgium should review the Country Specific Information at travel.state.gov and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for the latest travel advice and information. Actions to take: • Avoid large demonstrations and exercise caution at large public venues.

  28. The April total solar eclipse will create dangerous, crowded traffic

    The 2017 traffic woes followed warnings from officials.. Be careful if you're driving during the eclipse. Texas state officials are also warning drivers to "be on alert for distracted pedestrians ...

  29. Harris Calls for 'Immediate Cease-Fire,' Urging Hamas to Agree

    Since the I.P.C. was developed in 2004, it has been used to identify only two famines: in Somalia in 2011, and in South Sudan in 2017. In Somalia, more than 100,000 people died before famine was ...