U.S. embassy in Ankara says will be closed on Monday due to security threat

FILE PHOTO: People wait in front of the visa application office entrance of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, October 9, 2017. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The U.S. embassy in Turkey's capital Ankara will be closed to the public on Monday due to a security threat and only emergency services will be provided, it said in a statement on Sunday. The embassy advised U.S. citizens in Turkey to avoid large crowds and the embassy building and to be aware of their own security when visiting popular tourist sites and crowded places. It did not specify what the security threat that prompted the closure was. Visa interviews and other routine services will be cancelled on Monday, the embassy said, adding that it would make an announcement when it is ready to reopen. (Reporting by Mert Ozkan; Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Catherine Evans)