AMERICAS

Colombia (Security threat level – 4): On the evening of 9 June 2022, clashes broke out between police officers and student demonstrators who had gathered in the capital Bogotá to commemorate students killed in previous protests and to call for the Colombian government to adhere more faithfully to international human rights norms. Riot police fired tear gas and water cannons at the demonstrators, who threw Molotov cocktails at the officers outside the entrance to the District University Macarena campus, located approximately 10 km (6 mi) south of the city center. Authorities temporarily shut down a nearby stretch of Highway 7 due to the event. Meanwhile in Medellín, riot police fired tear gas at a group of student protesters outside the University of Antioquia, located approximately 3 km northwest of the city center. Vehicular traffic was temporarily disrupted on Barranquill Street between Regional and Ferrocarril Avenues. A police blockade was also erected along the feeder to the north entrance of National Route 62 near the university. There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths in the violence. Student demonstrations of this nature have been taking place in major Colombian cities since 8 June.

United States (Security threat level – 2): At approximately 1430 local time (1830 UTC) on 9 June 2022, a gunman opened fire at a manufacturing plant in Smithsburg, Maryland, a rural town located approximately 75 mi (120 km) northwest of the city of Baltimore. The assailant — an employee of the manufacturing plant — killed three coworkers and wounded another before fleeing the scene in a vehicle. Law enforcement officials searching for the suspect located him about 5 mi (8 km) from the shooting site and made a traffic stop. A shootout ensued between the suspect and three state troopers, during which the suspect and a trooper were wounded. The suspect remains in police custody. Authorities have yet to release a motive for the shooting.

United States (Security threat level – 2): Media reports on 10 June 2022, citing an unidentified senior White House official, stated that the U.S. government is set to annul as of 12 June a long-standing requirement for inbound air travelers to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result for entry into the country. At present, travelers seeking entry into the U.S. must possess proof of a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken within one day before departure for the country, regardless of nationality or vaccination status.

ASIA

India (Security threat level – 3): On 10 June 2022, large protests occurred in several cities across India to denounce incendiary comments regarding the Prophet Muhammad made by officials in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during a debate in late May. In New Delhi, hundreds of protesters carrying placards and chanting slogans gathered near the Jama Masjid mosque in the Chandni Chowk area after Friday prayers. The protest ended peacefully and there were no reports of violence.

In the eastern city of Ranchi, the state capital of Jharkhand, an angry mob of protesters lit fires in the street and hung an effigy of one of the BJP officials near a mosque on Fort Road. Police officers arrived at the scene to disperse the crowd and arrested several local residents for disorderly conduct. Local officials imposed a temporary curfew and suspended internet services in several parts of the city.

Pakistan (Security threat level – 5): On 10 June 2022, thousands of protesters gathered across several cities in Pakistan to protest comments regarding the Prophet Muhammad made by officials in India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In the capital Islamabad, thousands of protesters burned debris and chanted anti-India slogans in the streets. Demonstrators briefly clashed with police officers as they attempted to march toward the Indian Embassy in Islamabad. There were no reports of other notable violence. Additionally, in the southern port city of Karachi, hundreds of demonstrators marched in the streets and burned replicas of India’s national flag.

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

Syria (Security threat level – 5): On 10 June 2022, authorities temporarily suspended flights at Damascus International Airport (OSDI/DAM) following Israeli airstrikes targeting three warehouses at the facility. The warehouses allegedly belong to the Lebanese Hizballah militant group. The runway and control tower at the airport were damaged in the airstrikes. Repairs to the facilities are currently underway.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Nigeria (Security threat level – 5): On 9 June 2022, bandits riding on motorcycles launched multiple attacks on villages located in the Kajura area of Nigeria’s northern Kaduna state. The bandits reportedly targeted the villages of Dogon Noma, Ungwan Sarki and Ungwan Maikori, and set ablaze houses at random. Authorities stated that at least 32 people were killed in the assaults and 80 others were kidnapped. Security forces responded to the raids by dispatching an air force helicopter, which intercepted the bandits outside Ungwan Maikori and forced them to retreat into a nearby forested area before the arrival of ground troops.