American diplomatic operations in Peshawar, Pakistan will cease following a State Department announcement Tuesday regarding security risks to U.S. personnel stationed there.
Moving forward, all diplomatic activities for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which has Peshawar as its capital, will be managed through the American embassy located in Islamabad, according to State Department officials.
“This decision reflects our commitment to the safety of our diplomatic personnel and efficient resource management,” the State Department explained in their announcement.
The province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa shares a border with Afghanistan and has experienced numerous attacks and intense combat between Pakistani military forces and militants that Pakistani officials claim are supported by Afghanistan.
Violence erupted in March when demonstrators broke through security barriers at the American consulate in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest metropolitan area, following strikes in Iran that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The incident resulted in ten fatalities.
