File Photo: Great Ethiopian Run 2007, more than 30,000 runners are expected to take part in Toyota Great Ethiopian Run 2008 on Sunday Nov 23, 2008 in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia

Friday

NAIROBI , Kenya , November 14, 2008   —   The U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia has warned American citizens against taking part in the Great Ethiopian Run because of the threat of terrorism.

Friday's message says embassy staff and their families should not to take part in the 6.2-mile race set for Nov. 23. The message followed an unspecified terror warning from the Ethiopian government about the race featuring tens of thousands of runners from Ethiopia and around the world. The race is led by distance great Haile Gebrselassie.

The message did not say if the event was named as a specific target but reminded U.S. citizens of deadly bombings this year in the capital, Addis Ababa .

Ethiopia is fighting insurgent groups and supporting the U.N.-backed government in Somalia .