US sees a terror threat in Azerbaijan

The US State Department is warning Americans of a terrorist threat to Western targets in Azerbaijan and urging U.S. citizens to be vigilant in the oil-rich former Soviet republic on the Caspian Sea, the Associated Press (AP) informs.

In a security alert issued Saturday, the U.S. Embassy in Baku said there was a "potential for attacks in Azerbaijan, including against American interests." It said the warning was "based on terrorist threat information." It added that U.S. citizens in Azerbaijan "should remain vigilant, particularly in public places associated with the Western community."