WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump on Tuesday sharply expanded a travel ban by barring people from seven more countries, including Syria, as well as Palestinian Authority passport holders, from entering the United States.
The latest move brings to nearly 40 the number of countries whose citizens face restrictions in coming to the United States solely by virtue of nationality, with Trump also tightening rules for routine travel from Western nations.
The White House, in a proclamation, said it was banning foreigners who "intend to threaten" Americans.
Syrians were banned days after two US troops and a civilian were killed in the war-torn country, which Trump has moved to rehabilitate internationally since the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad.
Syrian authorities said the perpetrator was a member of the security forces who was due to be dismissed for "extremist Islamist ideas."
The Trump administration had already informally barred travel for Palestinian Authority passport holders as it acts in solidarity with Israel against the recognition of a Palestinian state by other leading Western countries, including France and Britain.
Other countries newly subjected to the full travel ban came from some of Africa's poorest countries -- Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone and South Sudan -- as well as Laos in southeast Asia.
In a series of new actions, Trump also imposed partial travel restrictions on citizens of other African countries, including the most populous, Nigeria, as well as Ivory Coast and Senegal, which qualified for the World Cup set to be played next year in the United States as well as Canada and Mexico.
The Trump administration has promised to let in athletes for football's signature competition, but has made no such promises for fans of blacklisted countries.
Other countries slapped with partial restrictions were from Africa or the Caribbean -- Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe -- plus the Polynesian country of Tonga.
Angola, Senegal and Zambia have all been prominent US partners in Africa, with former president Joe Biden hailing the three for their commitment to democracy.