Major incident declared near RAF Fairford after arrests

Gloucestershire Police declared a major incident near RAF Fairford on Sunday, September 27, after several men were arrested on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act. Residents of properties in nearby Whelford were evacuated, while specialists examined several vehicles, police said. The evacuated residents were taken to a nearby leisure centre, according to police. A cordon remained in place, and the force said it believed the incident was contained. Police said they were working with partner agencies and following established emergency plans. The Army’s specialist explosive ordnance disposal team was examining vehicles in the area. Police have not said whether explosives were found, and they have not confirmed whether the arrests were connected to RAF Fairford. The reported proximity of the incident to the base does not establish a link. RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire, is used by the United States Air Force. A US Air Force spokesperson said the service was aware of reports but declined to discuss specific force-protection measures. The spokesperson did not publicly clarify whether the base had changed its security posture in response to the incident.