"Keep Low Profile": US Consulate In Pak To Staff Amid Cross-Border Tensions

The US Consulate General in Lahore directed its staff to shelter in place and keep a low profile, as counter attacks between India and Pakistan continued to gain momentum following Operation Sindoor.

In its advisory, the US State Department cited reports of "drone explosions, downed drones and possible airspace incursions", adding that authorities are likely to start evacuating some areas adjacent to Lahore's main airport.

Among the suggested actions for the US citizens to take were exercising caution and leaving an area in the vicinity of military activities, shelter in place if there is no possibility of relocation, reviewing one's personal security plan, monitoring local media, keeping a low profile, carrying identification and being aware of surroundings.

The advisory urged citizens to keep in view the "Do Not Travel" direction for areas near the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control due to "terrorism and the potential for armed conflict". The Department's long-standing "Reconsider Travel" advisory also urged travelers to reconsider travel to Pakistan more broadly.

The State Department cautioned that flights in and out of Pakistan may or may not be available, with Islamabad temporarily suspending flight operations in Karachi, Lahore and Sialkot on Thursday morning.

The US also warned its citizens to avoid travelling to Jammu and Kashmir, prohibiting its government personnel from travelling to the Union Territory.

Operation Sindoor was launched early on Wednesday in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians were killed. The 25-minute operation involved strikes on nine terror targets, including those linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told an all-party meeting that at least 100 terrorists were killed in the military action.

While Pakistan continued cross-border small arms firing since April 24, 16 civilians, including three women and five children, died on the Indian side after Pakistan escalated firing.

A day later, India negated Pakistan's attempts to escalate tension by targeting military installations in 15 cities in the northern and western parts of the country - including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Gujarat. Pakistan's forces used drones and missiles that were disabled by India's air defence systems.

The government said Indian forces responded by targeting and neutralising Pakistani Air Defence Radars and systems in several locations, including Lahore, in response to Pakistani attempts to attack military facilities in Srinagar, Pathankot, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, and other locations.