Local News

Suspicious package causes scare for 82nd Airborne

A suspicious package caused a brief scare for U.S. soldiers and a WRAL News crew stationed in Bagram, Afghanistan on Friday.
Posted 2011-10-07T19:54:01+00:00 - Updated 2011-10-07T22:55:57+00:00
Suspicious package causes scare for WRAL crew

A suspicious package caused a brief scare for U.S. soldiers and a WRAL News crew stationed in at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan on Friday.

Military police officers shut down a busy, small stretch of roadway because of a suspicious package that was left against a wall.

A WRAL News crew, who traveled with the Fort Bragg's 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade to Afghanistan this week, was among dozens of people stopped and not allowed to walk down the sidewalk while crews evaluated the package.

The Explosive Ordinance Disposal unit working on the base was called in to check out the package. Initially, the troops deployed a robot to get a closer look at the package. Soldiers eventually determined the package did not pose a threat.

Bagram Airfield, where the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade is currently stationed, remains a target for insurgent attacks -- usually indirect fire that's not aimed at any specific target. The last indirect fire incident happened the day before the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Most of the troops see these random attacks as harassment, but any type of threats are taken very seriously.

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