ABUJA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- A Nigerian air force Alpha Jet was hit and crashed in the northwestern state of Zamfara after returning from an air interdiction mission on Sunday, but the pilot of the aircraft has been rescued, air force spokesperson Edward Gabkwet said on Monday.
The Alpha Jet came under "intense enemy fire," which led to its crash in Zamfara state on Sunday afternoon, after returning from a successful air interdiction mission between the boundaries of Zamfara and Kaduna states, Gabkwet said in a statement.
"Luckily, the gallant pilot of the aircraft... successfully ejected from the aircraft," he said, adding that the pilot was able to evade armed "bandits" and seek refuge in nearby settlements awaiting sunset.
Using the cover of darkness and his mobile phone for navigation, the pilot was able to elude several bandit strongholds and maneuvered his way to a Nigerian army unit, where he was finally rescued, Gabkwet said.
He said the air force, in conjunction with land forces, has in the last two weeks mounted intensive day-and-night air interdiction operations against bandits and their hideouts, especially in Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna states.
"Through these intensive air operations, hundreds of bandits have been neutralized and several of their hideouts destroyed," Gabkwet said.
The security operations came after a series of gunmen attacks in north Nigeria in recent months that let to deaths and kidnappings. Enditem
