Three jihadists recently escaped from a Mauritanian prison and a gendarme were killed Saturday in the Adrar region in an operation by security forces, authorities said. A fourth escaped jihadist may have been arrested.
In a »complex operation» which lasted several hours, clashes took place between the jihadists and the security forces. The former hid in the mountainous region of Waar, reports the Mauritanian daily ‘Esseraj’ citing sources of the security apparatus.
The suspects were being followed since Friday evening and after confirming their presence in the area and studying the terrain the operation was launched already on Saturday. The gendarmes stormed the site and killed three of the suspects and the fourth surrendered.
Military aviation was involved in the operation and local residents have confirmed that gunshots could be heard, reports Atlas Info news agency.
The jihadists fled from the Central Prison of Nouakchott last Sunday afternoon, taking advantage of a riot in which two members of the National Guard were killed.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
