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3. U.S. Urges Citizens to Leave Southeast Turkey, Orders Non-Essential Staff Out of Adana Consulate

Washington has advised non-essential staff to depart its consulate near the southern Turkish city of Adana and suspended consular services, the U.S. embassy in Ankara said Monday. The statement also referenced an existing U.S. Travel Advisory saying "Americans in southeast Turkey are strongly encouraged to depart now." The area hosts a key NATO base.

The move followed over a week of U.S. drawdowns on diplomatic staff across the region, beginning with Lebanon on February 23, and spreading to Israel, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi, in that order. 

An hour after the announcement, Turkey, a NATO power only marginally involved in ongoing hostilities, shot down its second Iranian missile which Ankara said fell in open territory in the southern Gaziantep area, causing no injuries. Iran had previously denied targeting Turkey.