What is the latest Gambia travel advice and why are tourists being evacuated? All you need to know
Brit holidaymakers were ferryed out of the west African nation after outgoing president Yahya Jammeh declared state of emergency
BRITS were told to get out of The Gambia after its outgoing president declared a 90-day state of emergency.
Yahya Jammeh refused to leave office, contesting the election win of former Argos security guard Adama Barrow.
Troops from neighbouring African countries began to mass on the country's border in mid January in an effort to force Jammeh out of power.
British travel companies quickly acted to jet home more than a thousand Brits.
The first arrived home on January 19, with Thomas Cook running 11 flights to get people home safely over the next two days.
Around 50,000 Britons visit the west African nation every year.
What is the latest travel advice for The Gambia?
The Foreign Office has warned against "all but essential" travel to The Gambia.
Its page cites "ongoing political uncertainty and potential military intervention following the Presidential elections on 1 December 2016".
It adds: "If you’re currently in The Gambia you should leave by commercial means if you have no essential need to remain."
It also advises against "all travel to the city of Banjul. This is the area on Banjul Island around State House, a potential flashpoint in the event of a military intervention."
How can I contact the British embassy in The Gambia?
If you’re in The Gambia and you urgently need help, call 00220 4495133/134.
If you’re in the UK and concerned about a British national in The Gambia, call 020 7008 1500.
Why are tourists being evacuated from The Gambia?
Thomas Cook posted on Twitter on Tuesday night confirming it had cancelled all flights to the country until January 20.
The first people to return to the UK from the tiny Africa state broke down in tears as they reached safety.
But hundreds remained trapped in The Gambia, desperate to leave.
The holiday company said it will operate an additional programme of flights from the capital Banjul on Wednesday to bring 985 package holiday customers back to Britain.
A spokesman said it has an additional 2,500 "flight-only" customers in Gambia who it is contacting to offer the earliest flight back to the UK.
It said: "The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has this evening, 17th January, changed its advice on travel to Gambia to advise against all but essential travel.
"This is based upon the risk of unrest in the country as a result of the disputed presidential inauguration on 19th January.
"Thomas Cook has therefore implemented our contingency plans to bring all our UK customers home as soon as possible.
"We are dispatching a special assistance team with our first flight from the UK to provide additional support at Banjul airport for our customers. Our colleagues on the ground in Gambia will proactively contact all customers on holiday with us as soon as possible to prepare for return to the UK.
"We are offering free amendments or cancellations for holidays to Gambia up to and including 20th January. If you are scheduled to travel to Gambia in that time, please call us on 01733 224 536.
"We are also offering free amendments for customers travelling to Gambia after the 20th January. Should the situation change, we will contact directly those customers soon to travel."
Gambia has been in political deadlock since Jammeh was unseated in an election in December but has refused to cede power.
He has come under pressure to step down from the international community, and he has been threatened with military intervention by other west African nations.
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