Iran issues travel advisory for Libya

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has issued a travel advisory for Libya, warning Iranians planning to visit the North African country about the heightened threat of terrorist attacks and the high rate of violence in some areas.

The advisory read in response to an alert submitted by Libyan officials to diplomats at the Iranian Embassy in Tripoli informing them about the volatile security situation in Libya and the potential for acts of violence against foreign nationals and diplomatic compounds, the Islamic Republic of Iran decided to ask its citizens not to travel to Libya until further notice.
It added that the travel advisory will be in force until the security situation in Libya improves.
The Libyan government is struggling to control its borders and making efforts to retrieve the arms and explosives that were looted after longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi was deposed in August 2011.
The central government has little authority beyond the capital, and the country is fractured by militias, tribes, and regional loyalties.
A number of Libyan fighters have joined the militants in Syria and are believed to be operating in other countries as well.