US to close embassy in Khartoum for 1 week

KHARTOUM, Nov. 10, 2003 (Xinhua) — The US embassy in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum announced Monday that it would suspend operations for a week from Nov. 12 due to specific threat.

The US embassy will suspend normal operations as of November 12,” said a statement issued by the embassy, adding it would also be closed on Nov. 11 for the Veterans’ Day holiday in the United States.

This action is the result of a credible and specific threat to US interests in Khartoum,” it said.

A midnight suicide bombing occurred Saturday in the al-Muhaya residential compound in the western part of Riyadh killed at least 17 people, including five children, and wounded more than 100.

The explosion came one day after the US diplomatic missions in the country were closed amid warns of possible terror attacks.

On Friday, the US embassy in Riyadh said the US diplomatic missions would close on Saturday to assess security conditions as credible information showed that terrorists in Saudi Arabia planed to carry out attacks in the kingdom.