Foreign Office steps up Sri Lanka travel warnings
Wednesday, 14 Nov 2007 09:08
The Foreign Office stepped up its travel warnings for Sri Lanka late last night, now advising against all travel to Yala National Park because of security concerns.
The large park is known for its wildlife, particularly the high density of leopards, and is a popular tourist attraction.
"We advise against all travel to Yala National Park. Since October 2007 there have been a number of incidents there and it is currently closed due to security concerns," the Foreign Office said.
It explained that on November 11th 2007 the army fired on suspected Tamil Tigers at Yala National Park. The incident followed the death of a construction worker from a mine in the park on November 9th, and a Tamil Tiger attack on military targets in October.
"No tourists were directly affected and the Park is currently closed to the public," the Foreign Office explained.
For the latest travel advice on visiting the country see
the Foreign Office Sri Lanka travel advice page.