Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has renewed its warning that travel to Afghanistan remains extremely dangerous and has urged Australian citizens and Afghan-Australians not to travel to the country under any circumstances, including for weddings or family visits.
In updated travel advice issued on Monday, the department said a number of Australian citizens had been killed, injured or arbitrarily detained while in Afghanistan.
The advisory warns that the risks in Afghanistan are “very real” and says people who travel there may not be able to return safely to Australia. It also notes that women face even greater risks under the current conditions.
The Australian government said it has very limited capacity to provide consular assistance or emergency support to its citizens if they encounter problems while in Afghanistan.
Australia continues to classify Afghanistan under its highest travel warning, Level Four: “Do Not Travel.” This category is reserved for destinations facing severe risks, including terrorism, armed conflict, violent unrest, arbitrary detention and serious crime.
The renewed warning comes despite repeated Taliban claims that security has been restored across Afghanistan since the group’s return to power. Many governments, however, continue to advise their citizens against traveling to the country because of ongoing security and humanitarian concerns.
