Sri Lanka's Arugam Bay: Why is US and Israel asking tourists to leave the beach holiday destination?

Sri Lanka's renowned surfing destination Argum Bay, a hotspot among international tourists who seek small-town vibes and offbeat destinations, is now in the news for all the wrong reasons. The United States and Israel have issued security warnings to its tourists who are visiting the area as they have received information on possible attacks targeting tourist locations in the Argum Bay area. The countries have urged their citizens to avoid travelling to the area until further notice. Israel has also asked its nationals to leave the south and west coast areas of Sri Lanka and also to avoid revealing their identities wherever possible. They are also asked to avoid clothes with Hebrew scripts on them or display symbols that reveal their nationality and religion. 

For a while, Sri Lanka has been witnessing protests in Buddhist-majority areas against Israel's war in Gaza. There were also social media messages and posts to say no to products from Israel. Local Muslim groups in the area have also been condemning Israel's attacks on Lebanon and Gaza. Sri Lankan police, meanwhile, have taken steps to protect international tourists. A hotline is also opened for them to report any safety concerns or issues.  

The scenic Argum Bay
Hiking trails, photography spots, stunning beaches, watersport providers... tourists have many reasons to visit Argum Bay, located in the Jaffna district in the northern part of Sri Lanka. That said, the area has a complex and troublesome history, much like the rest of Jaffna, which experienced a civil conflict from 1983 to 2009. It was also the home of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the militant organisation that sought to create an independent Tamil State. Arugam Bay has been trending on Google Trends for the past 24 hours with more than 20K search volume.