Troops are being deployed to a Jewish community center in a Sri Lankan surfing town after the US warned of a possible attack in the area

Sri Lanka deployed troops and increased police patrols around a Jewish community center in a popular surfing town on Wednesday after the U.S. Embassy warned American citizens of a possible attack on popular tourist attractions in the area.

The heightened security measures and warnings came after social media posts called for a boycott of Israeli businesses in eastern Arugam Bay.

“The information was that an Israeli-run place called 'Chabad House' could be a target and we have taken measures to increase security,” said police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa.

He said there had been recent tensions between the Jewish tourists who visited the Chabad House and the Bay's majority Muslim population.

The army and navy as well as police commandos were deployed in the area to increase patrols and man roadblocks, he said.

Protests by local Muslim groups against Israel's fight against Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon have drawn support from the broader community in the predominantly Buddhist South Asian country.

Israelis made up less than 1.5% of the 1.5 million tourists who visited the island in the first nine months of this year – about 20,000 people in total.

But Arugam Bay, a surfing hotspot about 250 road miles east of Colombo, is a popular destination for Israeli tourists.

In a rare announcement of an imminent threat, the US Embassy in Colombo said on Wednesday it had received “credible information of an attack on popular tourist sites” in eastern Arugam Bay.

“Due to the serious risk posed by this threat, the embassy has imposed a travel restriction on embassy personnel to Arugam Bay effective immediately and until further notice,” the embassy said, adding: “U.S. citizens are urged to avoid the Arugam area Bay to avoid.” “

Britain and Canada shared the US warning on their own websites, while the Russian embassy advised its nationals to avoid crowded places when visiting the island.

Israel's National Security Council, meanwhile, has “increased the travel alert level for Sri Lanka due to credible terrorist threats in tourist and coastal areas.”

Israel urged its citizens in Arugam Bay and other southern and western coastal areas to “leave the country or at least go to the capital Colombo, where there is a high presence of local security forces.” The Level 4 travel warning covered the Sri Lankan cities of Ahangame, Galle, Hikkaduwa and Weligama.

Along with Arugum Bay and the other coastal regions, Israel's National Security Council has raised the travel risk for the rest of Sri Lanka to Level 3. The National Security Council ranks travel warnings on a scale of 1 to 4, with level 4 warnings indicating a “high threat level” and level 3 warnings indicating a “moderate threat.” A place in the latter ranking means that the Israeli security service recommends avoiding unnecessary travel to the destination.

“In addition, the NSC emphasizes that Israelis in Sri Lanka must take increased precautions,” the travel notice said. She urged citizens currently in Sri Lanka “not to openly display anything that could identify you as Israeli, such as T-shirts with Hebrew inscriptions or other symbols that reveal your religion or nationality. “

Security officials also warned against “gatherings of Israeli citizens in public places where there is no security.”

New hotline

There have been no attacks in Sri Lanka since the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed 279 people, including 45 foreigners.

The coordinated attack on three luxury hotels and three churches was blamed on a local jihadist group that had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.

Afterwards, tourism numbers fell sharply and suffered another slump during an economic collapse in 2022 that sparked widespread civil unrest.

But the number of foreign visitors has increased after an International Monetary Fund rescue package helped stabilize the economy last year.

Following the US Embassy's warning, police said they would unveil a new security plan to protect tourists across the island.

“In view of the war situation in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, the police, together with intelligence agencies, are working on a plan to protect tourists and resorts,” said a statement from the Sri Lanka Police.

No details were given, but a hotline was set up for tourists to alert authorities to any safety concerns.