By Asha Elmi - Reporter
JIGJIGA, Ethiopia, September 18, 2026 Ethiopia’s Somali regional administration has denied that Doolo Zone faces a security threat, responding to an alert issued by the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa on Sept. 16.
The embassy said in its security alert that it was aware of possible threats to foreigners, including U.S. citizens, in Doolo Zone.
It said U.S. government personnel were no longer permitted to travel to the area without special authorisation and advised American citizens not to visit.
The embassy urged people to avoid the area and crowds, remain vigilant, review their security plans and prepare contingencies for leaving if necessary.
It did not specify the nature of the possible threats, who might be responsible or whether a particular incident had prompted the alert.
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The Somali regional government’s communications office on Thursday said the warning had been issued hastily and did not reflect the security situation on the ground.
It accused the embassy of issuing the alert without sufficient verification or consultation with regional authorities and security agencies.
The administration said Doolo remained calm and secure, with the movement of people and vehicles, businesses, public services and other daily activities continuing normally.
It called on diplomatic missions to verify information with regional institutions before issuing security or travel warnings.