The United States has issued a worldwide
travel alert for its citizens in response to "increased terrorist
threats".
The state department said
"current information" suggested the Islamic State [IS] group, al-Qaeda,
Boko Haram and others continued "to plan terrorist attacks in multiple
regions".
The alert, it said, will remain
in place until 24 February 2016.
France, Russia, Mali and
several other countries have seen deadly attacks in the past month.
A US state department
representative told BBC News there was "currently... no reason to believe
that US citizens would be specifically targeted".
Meanwhile Belgium announced the
capital Brussels would stay at the highest level of alert for another week over
fears of militant attacks like those that killed 130 people in Paris on 13
November.
In other developments
An apparent explosives belt was
found in a bin in the Paris suburb of Montrouge, which a fugitive suspect is
believed to have passed through on the night of the Paris attacks.
France carried out its first
air strikes against IS from its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, newly
deployed in the eastern Mediterranean, reportedly hitting targets in Iraq and
Syria, including the IS stronghold of Raqqa.
The travel alert advises US
citizens to "exercise vigilance when in public places or using
transportation".
They are also advised to
"be aware of immediate surroundings and avoid large crowds or crowded
places".
"Authorities believe the
likelihood of terror attacks will continue as members of ISIL/Da'esh [IS]
return from Syria and Iraq," the state department said.
Analysis: James Cook, North America Correspondent
A US worldwide travel alert is
unusual but not rare.
Similar advice, which applies everywhere bar the US
itself, was issued twice in 2011 - following the death of Osama Bin Laden and
on the tenth anniversary of the 11 September attacks. There was a further
warning in August 2013.
The most recent worldwide alert
came last Christmas in response to an attack in Sydney, Australia, flagging the
risk of "lone wolf" attacks, a warning repeated this time using the
less colourful phrase "unaffiliated persons".
Such broad warnings have been
criticised in the past, both for being so vague as to be of little practical
use and for doing the terrorists' job for them by creating a climate of fear in
which governments may introduce repressive policies.
But with millions of Americans
travelling this week to celebrate Thursday's Thanksgiving holiday, US officials
insist the action is a sensible reminder of the global terrorist threat.
Belgian Prime Minister Charles
Michel warned that the threat to his country remained "imminent and
serious".
But he also said authorities
were planning to reopen schools and the Brussels metro on Wednesday.
IS is believed to be behind the
13 November Paris attacks.
Co-ordinated assaults using
guns and suicide vests were launched on several locations in the French
capital.
Belgian prosecutors announced
on Monday that a fourth suspect had been charged with terrorism offences
related to the Paris attacks.
The unnamed man was one of 21
people detained in raids on Sunday and Monday. Seventeen have been released
without charge.
Source: BBC
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