US alerts citizens travelling to Kenya to maintain high security awareness ahead of Obama's visit

The US has issued a travel warning for Kenya ahead of a visit by President Barack Obama, who is due to address a summit on global entrepreneurship next week.

The summit, to be held in the capital, Nairobi, from 24-26 July, could provide "a target for terrorists", the US State Department said in a statement.

You will recall that in 2013, at least 67 people were killed in an attack by al-Shabab militants on the Westgate shop centre in Nairobi.

The Somali-based Islamist militant group claims it is at war with Kenya.

The al-Qaeda-linked group wants Kenya to withdraw troops
sent to Somalia in 2011 to help the weak UN-backed Somali government to fight the militants

The US State Department has urged its citizens to "maintain a high level of security awareness" as part of the new travel warning, which expires on 30 July.

Since Obama became a US leader, this will be his first visit to Kenya, his father's homeland according to BBC.

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Read the full statement of the US warning below.

The State Department alerts U.S. citizens that the Sixth Annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) is scheduled to take place July 24 – 26, 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya. 

As with all large public events, there is the opportunity for criminal elements to target participants and other visitors. Large-scale public events such as this Summit can also be a target for terrorists. U.S. citizens should maintain a high level of security awareness, and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive pertinent safety and security information. 

This Travel Alert expires on July 30, 2015.