State Dept. issues 'urgent' message to Americans about possible terror attack in Pakistan capital

FILE: July 9, 2015: A man offers evening prayers during Ramadan at the Shah Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan. (REUTERS.)

The State Department on Saturday issued an "urgent message" warning about a possible terror attack in the Pakistan capital of Islamabad during the holiday season.

The agency said the message to Americans in the region was issued as a result of “threat information” and that possible targets include places of worship and shopping centers.

The warning follows the deadly bombing attacks last month in Paris and the Dec. 2 massacre in San Bernardino, Calif., in which two Muslim extremists fatally shot 14 people at a holiday work party.

President Obama in recent weeks has made several attempts to ease Americans' fears of another terror strike on U.S. soil before New Year’s Day, in the aftermath of the recent attacks.

The State Department message also advises private U.S. citizens to “exercise particular caution” during the holiday season and at holiday festivals or events. It also says to minimize the number and duration of trips to public markets, restaurants, hotels, places of worship and other locations in which large numbers of people congregate.

The State Department issued a travel warning  for Pakistan on August 28 and a worldwide travel alert on November 23.