WASHINGTON – The State Department has advised against traveling to Indian occupied Kashmir in a security alert issued on Wednesday.
The alert was issued in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor in which India targeted multiple sites in Pakistan which led to 26 casualties in the early hours of Wednesday.
‘US citizens should avoid travel to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,’ reads a statement issued by the US Embassy in New Delhi.
‘As stated in the April 23, 2025 Security Alert, US government personnel are prohibited from travelling to Jammu and Kashmir,’ the statement added.
Confirming that there are potential flight disruptions across India, the US confirmed that all of its consulates and embassy remains open.
The security alert was issued as Pakistan and India teeter on the edge of a full blown war which could evolve into a regional crisis. The escalation started after India conducted airstrikes inside Pakistani territory on Wednesday in the operation named ‘Sindoor’.
Pakistan Air Force swung into action and shot down five Indian jets in a matchless show of courage and professionalism. The shooting down of Indian jets by Pakistan Air Force is being applauded by aviation experts also considering the technological advantage India believed to have over Pakistan.
Earlier in the day, US had issued travel advisory advising its citizens against travelling to the areas close to the Line of Control in Pakistan in the backdrop of the aerial warfare between India and Pakistan.
It bears mentioning that India has shut over 20 airports in the country as Pakistan gears up for retaliation. Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif is also scheduled to address the nation tonight at 9.30 PM in which further details regarding the recent events would be shared.
Meanwhile, the US has also advised both India and Pakistan to avoid escalation and maintain direct channel of communication. The confrontation started after India accused Pakistan of involvement in the Pahalgam incident in which 26 lives were lost in April; India has not presented any evidence to support its claims to this day.
