A major incident has been declared at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire after several men were arrested and nearby residents were evacuated.
Gloucestershire Police said the men were detained on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act. The Army’s specialist explosive ordnance disposal team has been examining a number of vehicles near the US air base.
Properties in the Whelford area are being cleared, with residents taken to a nearby leisure centre while a cordon remains in place.
Police said they believed the incident was contained and were working with partner agencies under established emergency plans.
Armed officers and emergency vehicles have been seen near RAF Fairford, with roadblocks in place in recent days.
The base is home to the US Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing. An Air Force spokesman said the unit and other US forces based in the UK remained vigilant and would take appropriate measures to protect service personnel, civilians, contractors and their families.
“We constantly assess a variety of factors that determine what measures we institute or modify to protect our installations, our people and their families,” the spokesman said.
RAF Fairford was the subject of a warning from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in July over the possibility of US bombers operating from the base. There is no suggestion that the current major incident is linked to Iran.
