Country Travel Risk Summaries
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COUNTRY RISK SUMMARIES Powered by FocusPoint International, Inc. Report for Week Ending September 19, 2021 Latest Updates: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, India, Israel, Mali, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine and Yemen. ▪ Afghanistan: On September 14, thousands held a protest in Kandahar during afternoon hours local time to denounce a Taliban decision to evict residents in Firqa area. No further details were immediately available. ▪ Burkina Faso: On September 13, at least four people were killed and several others ijured after suspected Islamist militants ambushed a gendarme patrol escorting mining workers between Sakoani and Matiacoali in Est Region. Several gendarmes were missing following the attack. ▪ Cameroon: On September 14, at least seven soldiers were killed in clashes with separatist fighters in kikaikelaki, Northwest region. Another two soldiers were killed in an ambush in Chounghi on September 11. ▪ India: On September 16, at least six people were killed, including one each in Kendrapara and Subarnapur districts, and around 20,522 others evacuated, while 7,500 houses were damaged across Odisha state over the last three days, due to floods triggered by heavy rainfall. Disaster teams were sent to Balasore, Bhadrak and Kendrapara districts. Further floods were expected along the Mahanadi River and its tributaries. ▪ Israel: On September 13, at least two people were injured after being stabbed near Jerusalem Central Bus Station during afternoon hours local time. No further details were immediately available, but the assailant was shot dead by security forces. ▪ Mali: On September 13, at least five government soldiers and three Islamist militants were killed in clashes near Manidje in Kolongo commune, Macina cercle, Segou region, during morning hours local time. No group claimed immediate responsibility for the attack. ▪ Mexico: On September 11, around 192,000 customers were left without power across La Paz and Los Cabos, Baja California Sur state due to the impact of Hurricane Olaf. No casualties were immediately reported, but multiple properties were inundated. ▪ Mexico: On September 15, at least 22 foreigners, mostly Venezuelans and Haitians, were kidnapped from Hotel Sol y Luna in Matehuala, San Luis Potosí, by unknown gunmen late on 14 September. They have since been found alive and unharmed by the authorities near Nuevo León. ▪ Mexico: On Septemver 15, at least two people were killed when rival criminal gangs clashed in La Florida area of Valparaíso municipality, Zacatecas state. In a separate incident, at least 10 people were found killed in a building in Machines area of Zacatecas municipality. ▪ Myanmar: On September 13, at least 18 people, including 13 resistance group members were killed in Myin Thar, while at least 15 soldiers were injured and 36 homes were torched 866-340-8569 [email protected] www.focuspointintl.com 861 SW 78th Avenue, Suite B200 FocusPoint International, Inc. Plantation, FL 33324 Country Risk Summaries Cont. at and around Hnan Khar in Gangaw ownship, Magway region, due to armed clashes between dozens of soldiers and an unconfirmed number of resistance fighters. ▪ Myanmar: On September 13, at least two people were killed and 10 others were injured in three bomb blasts that took place at a COVID-19 checkpoint near Mandalay Palace in Aungmyaythazan township, Mandalay region. ▪ Nigeria: On September 15, one person was killed and an unspecified number of others were abducted when a bandit group ambushed the motorcade of the Emir of Bungudu along the Kaduna-Abuja road, Zamfara state. No ransom demands were immediately made. ▪ Nigeria: On September 15, at least eight people were killed and 20 others injured in airstrikes from an unidentified aircraft in Buwari, Yunusari local government area (LGA) in Yobe state, near the border with Niger. Nigerian Air Force (NAF) officials denied the responsibility for the strikes. ▪ Pakistan: On September 15, at least seven soldiers were killed in clashes with suspected Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants during an operation in Asman Manza, South Waziristan district, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, five militants were also killed in the gunfight. ▪ Philippines: On September 11, Typhoon Chanthu (known locally as Kiko) made landfall over Batan Island and Sabtang Island in Batanes province in the morning hours. The typhoon brought winds of 215kph (133mph) near the centre, and gusts of up to 265kph (165mph). ▪ Philippines: On September 14, at least four suspected New Peoples Army (NPA) rebels were killed and three others were injured in clashes with security forces in barangay Tabu, Ilog, Negros Occidental province. ▪ Russia: On September 10, at least two suspected Islamic State (IS) militants were killed during a counter-terror raid in Talgi, Buynaksk district, Dagestan. ▪ Saudi Arabia: On September 15, the Saudi-led coalition forces intercepted and destroyed at least one armed drone launched by Yemen-based Houthi rebels targeting Abha Regional Airport (AHB/OEAB) in ‘Asir province. ▪ Somalia: On September 14, 11 people were killed and injured when a suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest near a tea shop and a checkpoint long a road leading to Halane base camp and General Gordon military academy in Mogadishu’s Wadajir district during late afternoon hours local time. Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack. ▪ Somalia: On September 16, clashes broke out between rivalling security forces near Banadir junction in Mogadishu, due to a suspected land dispute, and exchange of gunfire was also reported. No details were immediately available and no causalties had been reported. ▪ South Sudan: On September 15, at least 20 people were killed following clashes between two rebel factions of Sudan’s People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) in Magenis, Upper Nile state. ▪ Sudan: On September 15, at least 80 people were killed in floods triggered by heavy rainfall as of 13 September due to the rainy season, which remains ongoing. Some 35,000 structures were either damaged or destroyed across the country, including in River Nile and al-Qadarif states. 866-340-8569 [email protected] www.focuspointintl.com 861 SW 78th Avenue, Suite B200 FocusPoint International, Inc. Plantation, FL 33324 Country Risk Summaries Cont. ▪ Syria: On September 14, suspected Israeli airstrikes targeted transport vehicles linked with the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) southeast of Abu Kamal in Deir ez-Zor governorate, on the border with Iraq, during late evening hours local time on 14 September. ▪ Turkey: On September 10, authorities in Mardin imposed an indefinite curfew in the Artuklu district of the province with immediate effect due to ongoing security operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). ▪ Ukraine: On September 15, at least two people were killed, including a Donbas war veteran, after their vehicle exploded due to a suspected bomb blast on Bohdan Khmelnytsky Avenue in Dnipro. ▪ Yemen: On September 16, at least 50 people – Houthi rebels and security forces, including a high-raning officer, were killed in clashes and airstrikes in Al Bayda district, Al Bayda governorate, to take control of the strategic city of Marib. Please be aware System Risk Management has asked all members to prohibit travel to extreme risk countries and regions. Please reference memorandum from the Chancellor regarding procedures relating to international travel to be followed by all System members found at this link: http://www.tamus.edu/assets/files/safety/pdf/InternationalTraveltoHighRiskCountries.pdf Should you have any questions, please contact me directly. Thank you. Henry Judah, AIC CPCU CLU ChFC | Director System Risk Management [email protected] 1262 TAMU | College Station, TX 77840-7896 Tel. 979.458.6234 | Cell 979.820.2006 | Fax 979.458.6247 | www.tamus.edu 866-340-8569 [email protected] www.focuspointintl.com 861 SW 78th Avenue, Suite B200 FocusPoint International, Inc. Plantation, FL 33324 Country Risk Summaries Cont. COUNTRY TRAVEL ADVISORY LIST Any travel to the below listed Extreme Risk countries or countries with an Extreme Risk region requires an International Travel Questionnaire submission to System Risk Management for review. EXTREME RISK COUNTRIES 1) Afghanistan 7) North Korea 2) Central African Republic (CAR) 8) Somalia 3) Iran 9) South Sudan 4) Iraq 10) Sudan 5) Libya 11) Syria 6) Mali 12) Venezuela 13) Yemen HIGH RISK COUNTRIES 1) Algeria 19) India 2) Azerbaijan 20) Israel 3) Burkina Faso 21) Kenya 4) Burma (Myanmar) 22) Lebanon 5) Burundi 23) Mauritania 6) Cameroon 24) Mexico 7) Chad 25) Niger 8) Colombia 26) Nigeria 9) Congo (Republic of) 27) Pakistan 10) Cuba 28) Panama 11) Democratic Republic of the Congo 29) Philippines (DRC) 30) Russia 12) Ecuador 31) Saudi Arabia 13) Egypt 32) Tunisia 14) Eritrea 33) Turkey 15) Ethiopia 34) Ukraine 16) Georgia 17) Haiti 18) Honduras 866-340-8569 [email protected] www.focuspointintl.com 861 SW 78th Avenue, Suite B200 FocusPoint International, Inc. Plantation, FL 33324 Country Risk Summaries Cont. COUNTRY TRAVEL ADVISORY DETAILS BY RISK LEVEL EXTREME RISK COUNTRIES Afghanistan Risk Level: Extreme Country Overview: It is advised to avoid travel to Afghanistan. Travel is unsafe due to the unstable security situation involving armed conflict, terrorism, crime, and civil unrest. There is an extreme risk to personal safety and security because of widespread military operations, terrorism and insurgent attacks, and