British police arrested several men Sunday on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act and evacuated nearby homes after declaring a major incident close to RAF Fairford, an air base used by U.S. forces in southwest England.
Gloucestershire Police said a number of properties in the Whelford area were evacuated as a precaution following the arrests. Residents were moved to a nearby leisure center while authorities established a security cordon.
The village of Whelford is about two miles from RAF Fairford, which hosts U.S. Air Force personnel and has been used by American forces during military operations connected to the war with Iran. Police have not confirmed whether the arrests are directly linked to the air base.
The British Army’s specialist explosive ordnance disposal team was deployed to the area to examine several vehicles, according to police.
Authorities said they believed the incident was contained and that emergency services were working with partner agencies under established response procedures.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham was being kept informed about the situation, according to his office, which praised emergency services for quickly detaining the suspects and taking measures to protect the local community.
Defense Secretary Wes Streeting also sought to reassure the public, saying emergency response teams and the armed forces were prepared to deal with the situation.
A U.S. Air Force spokesperson said personnel at RAF Fairford remained vigilant but declined to discuss specific security measures at the installation.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not publicly disclosed what prompted the arrests or provided details about the suspected explosives offenses.
