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Trump expands US travel ban to seven more countries, including Syria, after deadly ISIS attack on American troops. How will this impact travel, diplomacy, and global security as the total number of restricted nations rises to 19?
Trump signs order to restrict entry of foreign nationals from Syria
Washington: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a new proclamation restricting the entry of foreign nationals from seven additional countries, bringing the total number of nations under the US travel ban from 12 to 19. The move, according to the White House, is aimed at “protecting the security of the United States.”
The seven newly added countries are Syria, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Laos, and Sierra Leone. Syria’s inclusion follows the recent deaths of two US soldiers and an American civilian interpreter in an ISIS ambush—the first such killings since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2024.
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Prior to the expansion, the travel ban already applied to 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The new additions reflect the administration’s concerns about security threats from regions with active conflict or terrorist activity.
In addition to the full bans, the White House has imposed partial restrictions on several other nations considered high-risk. These countries include Burundi, Cuba, Togo, Venezuela, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
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While the travel ban expands, Turkmenistan has been removed from the list due to what the administration described as “productive engagements” with the United States. However, despite the waiver on non-immigrant visas, Turkmen nationals remain barred from immigrating to the US.
The White House cited ongoing threats from terrorist groups and regional instability as the primary reasons for the updated restrictions. The addition of Syria follows direct incidents affecting US personnel, while other nations were flagged for ongoing security concerns.
Officials emphasized that the travel restrictions are part of a broader effort to safeguard the US against potential threats while continuing diplomatic engagement with some nations.
