Manila: The US State Department has issued a warning against US citizens travelling to the Sulu archipelago while a London-based think tank ranked the Philippines high in a list of countries with terrorist threats.

“US citizens should continue to defer non-essential travel to the Sulu archipelago, due to the high threat of kidnapping of international travellers and violence linked to insurgency and terrorism there,” the US State Department said adding that the travel warning replaces that issued on May 19.

The US State Department cited as basis for the warning the recent history of kidnappings and attempted kidnappings perpetrated by terrorists and insurgent groups based in the Eastern Sabah province of Malaysia and the Southern Sulu Sea.

There was a string of kidnapping incidents perpetrated by armed groups, collectively referred to as Abu Sayyaf. These groups kidnap largely foreign nationals and wealthy locals in Sabah and then take them to southern Philippines’ Sulu. In April, the group abducted Germans Stefan Okonek, 71, and Henrite Dielen, 55, in Sabah. The couple were released in October in Sulu after reportedly paying a ransom.

The US State Department also warned its citizens from travelling to the main island of Mindanao.

“Separatist and terrorist groups across Mindanao continued their violent activities, conducting bombings and kidnappings, attacking civilians and political leaders, and battling Philippine security forces. In particular, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) remain active in the Cotabato City area, and in the Maguindanao, North Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat provinces, where the government maintains a state of emergency and a greater police presence,” it said.

For its part, the presidential palace shrugged off the US travel warning and its effect on the country’s tourism.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said on Friday: “We understand the need of the United States and the US Embassy in Manila to advise their citizens as well to take normal precautions and to avoid travel to some areas. We respect that action of theirs.”

She said that government is glad that Manila is not included in the travel advisory.

“The advisory as I have seen in the past as well as this one that was issued very recently is very specific; and Manila, of course, is not included as well as most parts of the Philippines,” Valte said.

The US State Department warning also comes amid an assessment made by the London-based Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), that ranks the Philippines number nine out of 162 countries in terms of terrorist activity in 2013.

The Global and Terrorism Index 2014 showed 499 incidents in the Philippines, resulting in 292 fatalities, 444 injuries, and 184 instances of damage to property.

The index ranks countries according to the impact of terrorist activities and analyses the economic and social dimensions associated with terrorism.

“Certainly, at the end of the day, our goal really is to lessen these incidents because we are looking at the safety of the people,” Valte said.