NATO air base in Germany remains on high alert

Shafaq News/ NATO's air base in Geilenkirchen, Germany, remained on high alert on Friday following an overnight escalation of security measures. The alert was raised based on "intelligence information indicating a potential threat," a base spokesperson said.

Near the border with the Netherlands, the air base is where the alliance's Airborne Warning and Control System, or AWACS, aircraft are based.

The base is currently at the "Charlie" level, the second-highest of four alert statuses.

Security level Charlie indicates, according to Reuters, that "an incident has occurred or intelligence has been received suggesting that some form of terrorist action against NATO organizations or personnel is highly likely."

The spokesperson noted that operations at the base are continuing as planned but with minimal staffing as a precaution. The alert level increase is unrelated to a previous incident involving a temporary security boost due to suspected sabotage at a nearby military base in Cologne. On the same day, Geilenkirchen also reported an attempted trespassing incident, leading to a comprehensive sweep of the premises.

Regarding the suspected sabotage in Cologne, the German military has since confirmed that the tap water was not contaminated.

NATO has previously warned about a pattern of hostile activities from Russia, including sabotage and cyberattacks. In June, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg noted increased Russian intelligence activities and associated attacks. Analysts have also flagged other suspicious incidents, such as severing a vital undersea cable connecting Svalbard to mainland Norway in 2022.