Downing Street Assures Safety of RAF Fairford After US Withdraws Bombers
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No10 insists RAF Fairford is safe after US withdraws bombers
Image source: Getty Images
Image caption: The US has withdrawn all of its bombers from RAF Fairford
Published 4 minutes ago
Downing Street has insisted that RAF Fairford is safe, following the removal of all US bombers from the military base by the Pentagon on Sunday.
The US media reported a new threat led to this decision, which comes after a significant incident on September 27th when police were called to three "suspicious vehicles" near the airbase in Gloucestershire.
A Number 10 spokesperson declined to comment on foreign nations' military operations but stated the base is secure, citing US President Donald Trump's recent praise for the UK's police, defence, and security services. They also highlighted Defence Secretary Wes Streeting’s affirmation of tried-and-tested defensive approaches used globally.
RAF Fairford, located in the Cotswolds, is at the centre of an investigation by counter-terror police following the incident.
Five individuals were initially arrested on terror offences and subsequently released on bail. A sixth man, a UK-Iranian national, was also later arrested and released on bail.
While Whitehall sources have not confirmed the direct cause, it's understood the decision to remove the bombers was made by Washington in response to the incident at RAF Fairford.
The BBC understands this was a military rather than political decision, taken operationally, and communicated from the US military to its UK counterparts.