Sept. 23, 2015: Shoppers push trolleys at an upmarket shopping mall in Sandton, Johannesburg. The U.S. is warning its citizens of possible terror attacks by Islamic militants and commercial areas in South Africa. (Reuters)
The U.S. is warning its citizens of possible terror attacks by Islamic militants on American buildings or shopping malls in South Africa, despite assurances from the South African government that the country is safe.
The warning – which came Saturday on the eve of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan – is the second such warning in less than a year from the embassy, Reuters reports.
The embassy says shopping areas and malls in Johannesburg and Cape Town were the main targets in suspected planned attacks. South Africa has a significant expatriate and tourist population, but has rarely been linked to Islamic terrorism, Reuters reports.
"This information comes against the backdrop of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's public call for its adherents to carry out terrorist attacks globally during the upcoming month of Ramadan," the embassy said in a statement posted on its website.
South Africa’s foreign affairs department said it is “very much capable of keeping South Africa safe and everybody in this country, including Americans.”
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