A  travel warning has been issued by the US State Department for the US citizens, planning to visit Saudi Arabia ahead of the visit of President Barack Obama  to the Gulf country.

Obama is scheduled to visit  the oil-rich desert kingdom on April 21. He is expected to attend a  summit of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council in Saudi Arabia.

According to the Xinhua news agency, the US State Department has urged the US citizens to "carefully consider the risks of travelling to Saudi Arabia"

"There continues to be reports of threats against US citizens and other Westerners, as well as locations frequented by them," it said.

The State department also considered "Ongoing security concerns" in  Iraq and  Yemen as a reason behind issuing travel warning. The new warning replaced the previous one, that was published on September 21, 2015.

“Possible targets include housing compounds, hotels, restaurants, shopping areas, international schools and other facilities where Westerners congregate,” it said.

Multiple attacks on mosques, as well as places where members of the Shia-Muslim minority gather, have occurred in Saudi Arabia over the past year,” it added.

Also read: Kerry will visit Bahrain ahead of US-Gulf summit

Nandini