Location: Goma
- Event: Embassy Kinshasa advises U.S. citizens to avoid the area around Virunga National Park in Goma. On May 11, just north of Goma rebels attacked a convoy and killed a park ranger and kidnapped two tourists traveling within Virunga Park. Kidnappings in the Eastern Congo remain a serious concern, and are one of the means rebel and armed groups consistently use to generate income.
Actions to Take:
- Avoid travel to Virunga National Park and its surrounding areas, including Goma.
- Review the country page and remain alert for potentially dangerous situations.
Assistance:
- See the State Department’s travel website for the Worldwide Caution and Country Specific Information for the DRC.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Contact the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa, located at 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, the Consular Section at tel. +243-097-261-6144 or +243-097-261-6145 (Do not dial the zero when calling from abroad) from Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is 081-556-0151.
- Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
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