RESIDENTS in Co Fermanagh have claimed a security alert in the Rosslea area is one of a number of recent incidents involving dissident republicans.
The Clough Road in Rosslea, was closed for a time due to the security alert on Tuesday after a suspicious object was discovered.
Police officers redirected traffic while army bomb disposal were called to examine the object.
The village has been the scene of previous attacks by dissident republicans.
Gardaí were also involved in the operation and closed roads leading to the village.
A controlled explosion was later carried out on the suspicious object.
People in the area however claim that masked men were seen in the same location on March 17 of this year.
The PSNI said they have no record of the incident.
The Continuity IRA have been active after reorganising in the Fermanagh area over the last 12 months.
In August last year the organisation were behind a bomb attack on police at Wattlebridge, close to the border.
A bomb exploded in the rural border area as police were searching close by, narrowly avoiding injuring officers.
First Minister Arlene Foster, who is also the DUP MLA for the area, said she had been informed by police that it was a hoax device.
Mrs Foster added that given the coronavirus crisis, it was "utterly despicable" for people to be placing such devices in communities.
Ulster Unionist MLA Rosemary Barton called on the entire community to support the security services following the security alert.
"Once again Rosslea is in the news for the wrong reason", she said.
“If this object turns out to be an explosive device it is the height of madness to be carrying out such action at any time, but it would be astounding that anyone would do so in the middle of a health pandemic.
“I urge the public to give their full support to the police as they seek to protect the community", she added.
