U.S. Embassy issues warning for American citizens in Uganda

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni visits victims at a hospital following the July 11, 2010, twin blasts in Kampala.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• The embassy advises U.S. citizens to avoid large, public gatherings
• A bombing in Kampala last July left more than 70 people dead

(CNN) -- The U.S. Embassy in Uganda is warning its citizens in the east African nation that regional terror groups "remain actively interested in attacking" American interests.
"We are particularly concerned about the month of February," the embassy, based in the capital, Kampala, said in a statement.

Uganda is holding presidential elections next month.
The embassy advises U.S. citizens to avoid large, public gatherings, "especially those with large numbers of westerners and/or no visible security presence."
It urges citizens to report any suspicious activity by calling 999 and keeping a charged cell phone at all times.
The alert updates previous warnings related to the July 11, 2010 bombings in Kampala, according to the embassy. More than 70 people died after a pair of bombings struck a restaurant and a rugby ground as patrons gathered to watch the World Cup final.
Somalia-based al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The Islamic militants battling Somalia's U.N.-backed transitional government have threatened attacks on Uganda and Burundi, which contribute troops to an African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia.