American School of Doha closes campus after US Embassy shelter alert amid Iran strikes

The American School of Doha (ASD) announced Saturday that it has closed its campus and suspended all on-site activities after the US Embassy in Qatar issued a shelter-in-place notice to American citizens in the country amid Israeli-US attacks on Iran.

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In an email to parents, seen by Al Arabiya English, ASD said it was following guidance from the US Embassy in Qatar urging American citizens to shelter in place and avoid travel until further notice. The school said the decision was taken in line with the embassy’s recommendation and out of concern for the safety of its community.

According to the email, ASD is transitioning to a restricted campus status with only essential security personnel remaining on site and will cease normal operations until further updates are provided.

“The US Embassy in Qatar has just issued a notice stating that they are implementing a shelter-in-place for all personnel and recommending that all US citizens in the country do the same until further notice,” the email stated, adding that the school is evacuating its campus “out of an abundance of caution.”

Parents were urged to follow embassy recommendations and await further communications through email and the school’s dedicated Sahifa page for updates.

The embassy’s advisory comes amid a broader security alert for Americans in Doha following recent Israeli and US strikes on Iranian targets and the potential for regional retaliation. Qatar’s interior ministry, however, has said conditions in Qatar remain stable and safe in light of the attacks.

The American School of Doha is a private institution serving thousands of students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12, and is sponsored by the US Embassy and typically plays a central role in the expatriate community in Qatar.

The US Embassy’s shelter-in-place recommendation remains in effect, with no timeline yet given for when normal operations might resume.

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