Residents return home after Armagh security alert as police keep open mind on origins of ‘loud bang’

A number of nearby homes had to be evacuated and cordons were in place in the vicinity of Ballynahone Avenue during the operation, which ended before midnight.

Residents, who were evacuated for a number of hours, have returned to their homes and roads have reopened.

Detective Inspector Handley said: “We would like to thank these residents and the wider community for their understanding as we carried out this public safety operation today. By way of update, items recovered from the area have been taken away for further examination after Ammunition Technical Officers (ATO) attended the scene.

“We have also received reports of a loud bang being heard in the area on Friday evening. We are keeping an open mind in terms of whether this was down to the partial collapse of a building in the area or something more sinister.

“Our enquiries into both the items recovered and the origins of this noise remain ongoing. I’d ask that anyone with information, which could assist our investigation or anyone who noticed anything suspicious in the wider Ballynahone Road area over the past week, contact us on 101 quoting reference number 658 30/01/24.”