During the war in Iraq, the U.S. Military had legendary sniper Chris Kyle…
And the enemy insurgents had a sniper named Juba.
Videos posted online claimed to show Juba killing soldiers, and showed how accurate he was when it came to sharpshooting.
Insurgent propaganda credited Juba with 37 kills. It’s believed that Juba operated with a Russian-made Dragunov sniper rifle.
His legend grew, and the sniper became well-known among U.S. troops.
He was well trained and patient… He never fired a second shot from the same location and was very difficult to track.
So, to hunt Juba, the U.S. military used the notorious Task Force Raptor.
This was an elite unit of Iraqi special operators. The unit was similar to the U.S. Delta Force.
The elite soldiers hunted Juba around his hometown of Ramadi. They chased him around until he fled the city.
Then, he completely disappeared. There were no more signs of him or his killings.
No official record exists of Juba…
Some people argue that he wasn’t a single man, rather a group of enemy snipers.
The enemy could have been playing their own game of psychological warfare.
Since the U.S. military had one of the best snipers in history in Chris Kyle, the enemy tried to counter that with Juba.
It’s unclear exactly what happened to him…
But it’s believed he was killed in action, likely by a U.S. military sniper.
Chances are, you won’t find yourself on a military battlefield taking sniper fire…
But these days we have seen shootings that mimic these dangerous encounters.
Whether you are attending a sporting event or bugging out, understanding snipers is not a bad idea.
With that in mind, here are a few ways to stay safe from a potential sniper.
Movement:
If you are moving, you want to use routes that conceal you as much as possible.
Avoid open areas like intersections or parks, and never walk down the center of a road.
If you have no option but to move through an open area, skirt around well-lit places and avoid being silhouetted against lights or even the nighttime sky.
If you are in a building, stay away from doorways and windows.
Smoke flares:
If you are pinned down in a building, or know you are in the crosshairs of a sniper, you have few options.
But when you need to move, you have to hide your movement.
One of the best ways to hide what you’re doing is to create smoke. When smoke fills the area, the sniper won’t be able to see their target.
Smoke flares are similar to road flares. They are commonly used for emergency signals aboard boats, and you can buy these from maritime shops.
One product to consider is Orion Orange Smoke Signals.
Separate from the crowd:
Often, a sniper wants to kill as many people as possible. They will target large groups instead of a single person.
So, in a shooting situation involving a sniper, separate yourself from everyone else.
Also, never lay down or play dead to avoid sniper fire. While there are stories of people who survived doing this, the chances are small.
The fact is, if a sniper is firing downwards at people, laying down will not protect you. And you could be injured by people trampling you to get away.
In this type of situation movement and action is better than doing nothing.
Hopefully, you’ll never need this information, but if you’re ever caught in an active sniper situation, these tips can help you stay safe and get away.
