U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs
Turkmenistan: Level 4: Do Not Travel & Leave Immediately (T) (U) (K) (H) (O)*
*See drop-down menu for tooltip descriptions
(T): Terrorism - Terrorist attacks have occurred and/or specific threats against civilians, groups, or other targets may exist.
(U): Civil Unrest - Political, economic, religious, and/or ethnic instability exists and may cause violence, major disruptions, and/or safety risks.
(K): Kidnapping/Hostage Taking - Kidnapping and/or hostage-taking occurs in areas of the country.
(H): Health - Health risks are present, including current disease outbreaks or crises that disrupt a country's medical infrastructure.
(O): Other - There are other potential risks not covered by previous risk indicators. Visit the Travel Advisory for more information.
Travel Advisory - Updated 02JUL2022:
The U.S. Department of State suspended operations at U.S. Embassy Ashgabat, effective June 30th. All in-person consular services in Turkmenistan are suspended until further notice.
The security situation throughout Turkmenistan is highly volatile and conditions have rapidly deteriorated. U.S. citizens should remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. There are continued reports of U.S. citizens being singled out and detained by the Turkmenistan military when attempting to leave the country by land through Uzbekistan or Tajikistan. Evacuation by land across any southern border into Iran or Afghanistan is not recommended.
Currently, international commercial flights are suspended. Charter flights are infrequent and often operate out of cities that are located hundreds of miles from Ashgabat. If you wish to depart Turkmenistan, you should make arrangements on your own as soon as possible.
Acts of terrorism by insurgents and armed militants in which members or facilities operated by the Turkmenistan government are targeted have increased in frequency. On May 29th, the Turkmenistan government enacted a state of martial law. Each province will decide on the measures to be implemented according to local conditions. Measures include curfews, restrictions on the freedom of movement, ID verification, increased security inspections, and increased detentions of foreign visitors without cause or legal precedent, among other measures. Turkmenistan has instituted an absolute suspension of foreign press credentials or access to the country, and foreign press corps members, including those of U.S. citizenship, have been detained without cause for remaining in the country beyond the enactment of martial law.
The U.S. Department of State suspended operations at U.S. Embassy Ashgabat, effective June 30th. All in-person consular services in Turkmenistan are suspended until further notice. While the U.S. government has withdrawn most personnel from Ashgabat, we will continue to assist U.S. citizens and their families in Turkmenistan from Tashkent, Uzbekistan. U.S. citizens who are able to depart Turkmenistan for another country and are in need of emergency assistance upon arrival may contact a U.S. embassy or consulate in that country.
Turkmenistan security services have arrested U.S. citizens on spurious charges, singled out U.S. citizens in Turkmenistan for detention and/or harassment, including students, journalists, business travelers, and academics- on charges including espionage and posing a threat to national security, and denied them fair and transparent treatment. Turkmenistan authorities may not notify the U.S. Embassy of the detention of a U.S. citizen, and consular access to detainees may be denied or severely delayed.
Additional Information:
Travel & Transportation
- Traffic accidents involving serious injury to drivers, passengers, and pedestrians are common. Many city roads are hazardous because of potholes, uncovered manholes, poor lighting, and pedestrians ignoring oncoming traffic. Most roads outside of major cities are narrow, not lighted, and lacking road signs. Avoid driving at night on rural roads.
- Drive defensively and use an abundance of caution. Driving practices differ from those in the United States, and can include drivers going down the wrong way on one-way streets or divided highways, sudden lane changes, left-hand turns from the right lane, etc.
- There is no roadside assistance in Turkmenistan.
- There are elevated reports of violent crime in Turkmenistan, notably in cities and urban areas. Take increased safety and awareness precautions, such as avoiding travel after dark or in deserted/unfamiliar areas.
- Police and military are present in all regions of Turkmenistan. Security personnel maintain checkpoints on major roads and may place visitors under surveillance. Hotel rooms, telephones, e-mail, and fax machines may be monitored, and personal possessions in hotel rooms may be searched.
- Large parts of Turkmenistan are extremely isolated and landline telephone communications remain limited. Cell phone service is unpredictable, and areas outside major urban centers suffer from irregular and weak signals. Militants have been known to attack telecommunications infrastructure and coerce operators into turning off cell phone towers. U.S. citizens in Turkmenistan should always carry backup communications such as satellite phones or handheld radios, along with a vehicle/personal tracking device.
- Carry your passport at all times; otherwise, you may be detained. Police asking to see identity papers can be aggressive and have been known to solicit bribes. Ask for identification if you are unsure the person requesting to see your documents is an official.
- Medical care is limited and well below U.S. standards. U.S. citizens in Turkmenistan often travel to other countries for medical treatment, including many routine procedures.
- Basic medical supplies, including disposable needles, anesthetics, and antibiotics, are often in short supply. The U.S. Embassy strongly recommends that U.S. citizens not undergo invasive procedures in Turkmenistan. Undergoing any such procedure may place you at risk of serious illness. If you have a serious medical condition, check with your physician before planning to travel to Turkmenistan.
- In many areas, tap water is not potable. Bottled water and beverages are generally safe, although you should be aware that many restaurants and hotels serve tap water unless bottled water is specifically requested. Be aware that ice for drinks may be made using tap water.
- COVID-19: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined Turkmenistan has an unknown level of COVID-19. Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel. Commercial transportation to and from Turkmenistan is not available or only sporadically available. It may be difficult to enter and leave Turkmenistan and travelers should expect delays entering Turkmenistan and returning to the United States.
AUTHORIZED FOR DISTRIBUTION BY 1-506th S-2Reviewed By: 1LT Jason Mallory
The entirety of this document represents fictional works of the 506th Infantry Regiment Realism Unit, S-2 Intelligence Shop, developed for use within the Arma 3 military simulation video game, and exists purely for entertainment and educational purposes only. The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.
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