Saudi Arabia incident

This item appears on page 67 of the April 2014 issue.

The security climate in Saudi Arabia continues to improve, despite an attack of unknown motivation on the vehicle of two German Embassy officials in the Awamiyah section of the al-Qatif Governate in the Eastern Province on the night of Jan. 13. There were no injuries in the shooting. The US government recommends avoiding the Awamiyah area.

The last major terrorist attack against foreign nationals in Saudi Arabia occurred in 2007, but security threats are ongoing.

US government personnel need US embassy permission to travel within 50 miles of the border dividing Yemen and Saudi Arabia, which includes the cities of Jizan and Najran, as terrorist and criminal elements may be operating there.