Note: The following text is a quote:
https://www.osac.gov/Reports/report.cfm?contentID=70214
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Warden Message: Travelers Urged to Avoid West Bank/Gaza
Consular Affairs Bulletins
Middle East / N. Africa - Israel, West Bank/Gaza
27 Jun 2007
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Warden Message: Gaza Situation Dangerous
U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem released the following Warden Message on June 27:
The Department of State continues to urge U.S. citizens to carefully consider the risks of travel to Israel, to defer unnecessary travel to the West Bank and to avoid all travel to Gaza. American citizens in the Gaza Strip should depart as soon as possible but exercise caution in movement. The kidnapping threat for foreign nationals in Gaza remains high, with reports that retaliatory kidnappings by armed factions may target internationals. Americans choosing to remain in Gaza despite this warning should remain on high alert and take precautions due to this increased threat
Americans in Jerusalem, Gaza or the West Bank are strongly encouraged to register with the Consular Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem through the State Department’s travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov or to contact us by phone at (972) (2) 622-7207 during business hours. U.S. citizens who require emergency services may telephone the Consulate General in Jerusalem at (972) (2) 622-7250.
For the latest security information, Americans should regularly monitor the Department’s web site at http://travel.state.gov , where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, Middle East and North Africa Public Announcement, and other Travel Warnings and Public Announcements can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays.)
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12572&Itemid=128
June 27, 2007
Release A070627a
High-level senior al-Qaeda leader killed during Coalition operations
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces positively identified two terrorists killed in an operation June 23 south of Hawija.
Mehmet Yilmaz, also known as Khalid al-Turki, was a known terrorist and senior leader in al-Qaeda who operated a cell that facilitated the movement of foreign fighters into Iraq for al-Qaeda operations.
Yilmaz was positively identified through photo comparison and a forged Iraqi personal identification card was also found on him.
Yilmaz was an al-Qaeda leader who led a group of Turks to Afghanistan in 2001 to fight against Coalition Forces. Intelligence reports indicate he was wounded in the fighting there and went to Pakistan for treatment, where he was captured by the government in 2004 and deported to Turkey. He was released in late 2005 and returned to al-Qaeda operations in 2006, moving his operations to Iraq. Turkish authorities are also investigating several terrorist operations that may have involved Yilmaz.
Yilmaz was killed when Coalition Forces targeted him during an operation south of Hawija. As Coalition Forces approached the targeted building, four men got into a vehicle and drove away from the area. Coalition Forces followed the men, one of whom was believed to be Yilmaz. When the vehicle stopped, the men got out of the vehicle with weapons in hand. Coalition Forces, responding appropriately to the hostile threat, engaged the armed men, killing them.
Inside the vehicle, Coalition Forces found rocket-propelled grenades. They safely destroyed the vehicle and weapons on site.
Also killed in the operation was Mehmet Resit Isik, also known as Khalil al-Turki, a close associate of Yilmaz who was assessed to be a courier for the same al-Qaeda cell and a close associate of Yilmaz and senior leaders within al-Qaeda.
“These are two very dangerous, very significant international terrorists that are no longer part of the al-Qaeda network,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson. “We will continue to relentlessly pursue the terrorist leaders who plan to deny the Iraqi people a future of their choice.”