The United States has ordered non-essential government personnel and their families to leave its consulate in Adana, southern Turkey, citing growing security concerns in the region.
In a statement released on Monday, the US Embassy in Ankara said the decision was taken due to potential safety risks around the southeastern part of the country.
“On March 9, 2026, the Department of State ordered non-emergency US government employees and US government employee family members to depart Consulate General Adana due to the safety risks,” the embassy stated in a message shared on X.
The embassy also referenced a State Department travel advisory urging American citizens currently in southeastern Turkey to leave the area as soon as possible.
The development comes amid heightened tensions across the Middle East following the start of US-Israeli military strikes on February 28. Iran has since launched a series of retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the region in an effort to target US military interests.
Although several countries in the region have faced security threats, Turkey has so far not been directly affected by the attacks. However, the presence of US troops at several Turkish military facilities has raised concerns about potential risks.
One of the most significant installations is the Incirlik Air Base, a major NATO facility located roughly 10 kilometres from the city of Adana. The base has hosted US forces for decades and remains strategically important for NATO operations in the region.
Tensions escalated further last Wednesday when NATO defence systems intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran that was reportedly heading toward Turkey. The incident prompted a stern warning from Turkish authorities.
Turkey’s Defence Ministry confirmed that NATO systems successfully detected and neutralised the missile before it could reach its target. However, officials did not provide further operational details.
Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles later revealed that Spanish troops operating a Patriot missile defence battery at Incirlik Air Base were responsible for detecting and reporting the missile threat. She clarified that while Spanish personnel identified the attack, they were not responsible for intercepting the missile.
In response to the incident and the broader regional escalation, NATO has announced that it has strengthened its ballistic missile defence posture to counter the growing threat from Iran’s expanding missile operations across the Middle East.
US Orders Staff, Families to Leave Adana Consulate Amid Rising Security Risks in Southeast Turkey
