Saudi Arabia warns citizens against traveling to 13 countries over COVID-19, security concerns

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has warned citizens against traveling to 13 countries without permission due to security circumstances and the instability in a number of countries, while the continuation of the coronavirus pandemic and the spread of new variant strains of the virus in some other countries.

The countries that Saudi citizens have been advised against visiting are the following: Afghanistan, Armenia, Belarus, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Turkey, Venezuela and Yemen.

The move comes as the Kingdom gears up to resume international travel after more than a year due to the global outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement on Sunday carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the Ministry of Interior said that the move is out of the Kingdom's concern for the safety of citizens.

"Citizens will continue to be prevented from traveling, directly or indirectly, to 13 countries without obtaining prior permission from the concerned authorities," according to the statement.

The ministry also called on citizens wishing to travel to the countries to which travel is permitted to exercise caution and stay away from areas where instability prevails or witnesses the spread of the virus, and to follow all precautionary measures, regardless of their destinations.