Caution Urged in Mideast

Worldwide

As U.S. and British forces began a series of attacks on Iraq 11 days ago, Washington warned about the possibility of retaliatory action against Americans abroad. The State Department advised U.S. citizens to be alert to the changing situation and “exercise much greater caution than usual.” Among the developments:

* Hundreds of stone-throwing demonstrators attacked U.S. and British government sites in Damascus, Syria. Anti-American protests erupted in several other Middle East locales, among them Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, Jordan, Iran and the West Bank. The State Department issued a travel warning on Syria, advising Americans to defer nonessential travel there. Travel warnings for Israel and Kuwait remain in effect.

* Washington ordered the departure of elderly, young or pregnant dependents of U.S. government personnel from Israel, Kuwait and the West Bank.

Mexico

Seismologists warn that the volcano known as El Colima may be building toward a violent eruption. The volcano, in the south-central Mexican state of Jalisco, began sending out lava flows last month, forcing the two-week evacuation of hundreds of villagers.

Meanwhile, Popocatepetl volcano near Mexico City has blown miles-high clouds of ash into the sky several times in recent weeks. Some of the ash has drifted down onto the outskirts of the capital, 39 miles to the northwest, briefly forcing the closure of Mexico City’s airport last week.

Hot spots: The State Department has dropped Lesotho from its list of places considered dangerous for Americans and has added Syria. Others on the travel-warning list are Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Colombia, Congo (formerly Zaire), Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Montserrat, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Rwanda, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan and Tajikistan.

The U.S. State Department offers recorded travel warnings and advisories at (202) 647-5225; the fax line is (202) 647-3000. Internet address is https://travel.state.gov.