US says no change in operating status of missions in Europe despite reports of high alert

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US on Monday said there has been no change in the operating status of missions in the region following reports that US military bases in Europe over the weekend were placed on high alert.

"I will let my colleagues at the Department of Defense speak to any posture change or any anything as it relates to their facilities. What I can say about our embassies and consulate is that there has been no change in operating status of missions in the region," State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.

"We, of course, closely monitor and evaluate threat information and adjust our security and operating postures accordingly," he added.

Multiple US military bases in Europe, including the US Army garrison in Stuttgart, Germany, were placed on high alert over the weekend due to potential terrorist threats targeting US military personnel or facilities, CNN reported on Sunday, citing two US officials.

One US official stationed in Europe said that such a high alert level has not been seen in at least a decade, indicating an "active-reliable threat," the report said.