Amid Paris Terror Probe, US Military Personnel Barred From Unofficial Travel To France

United States military personnel are restricted from unofficial travel in France following Friday's terror attacks in Paris that left more than 120 people dead and hundreds more injured, the military’s European Command announced Sunday. Service members, civilian employees, contractors and command-sponsored family members under the U.S. Department of Defense are barred from "leave and liberty travel" within a 30-mile radius of Paris. They would also require special permission from a general officer for travel within the rest of France.

“This is a precautionary measure to keep our personnel and families safe in light of the recent attacks,” the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) said in a statement. “This is also an effort to help minimize tourist traffic at the borders in France, and in particular, in Paris as the French authorities continue their investigation.”

EUCOM did not give a timeline for the restrictions, according to military news outlet Stars and Stripes. The Navy announced Saturday similar travel restrictions, citing “known and unknown threats,” but added that it would keep the travel ban to Paris in place until Dec. 4. The ban on traveling to the rest of France would stay in place through Nov. 27. Sailors have also been told not to wear their uniforms while commuting to and from work until Dec. 4.

U.S. military bases across Europe have undergone heightened security measures since airstrikes against the Islamic State group began in August 2014.

U.S. Army Europe, described as the "Army Service Component Command in Europe," asked commanders Saturday to account for all their personnel and was assessing whether additional force-protections measures should be implemented, military.com reported. No military members are believed to have died or been injured in Friday’s attacks, the command said.

A similar travel ban was implemented earlier this month for military members on unofficial travel in Turkey, due to growing security concerns there.