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This incredible leaked classified video shows fighter jets "engaging unknown aircraft" in the skies above the southern US on the night of one of the world's most famous UFO sightings.

The 14-second clip, posted on YouTube, shows American military aircraft on patrol during the Phoenix Lights sighting of March 13, 1997 when a series of lights were spotted above Arizona's state capital.

The military footage was obtained exclusively by US investigative journalist David Collins, of Phoenix-based KWBV Investigations, who later alerted Mirror Online.

The Phoenix Lights were seen by thousands of Arizona residents but 17 years on what exactly happened remains a mystery.

The US military's official explanation claimed the lights were flares from their aircraft.

However, Arizona's then state governor, Fife Symington III, later said in an interview: "I'm a pilot and I know just about every machine that flies.

"I can definitively say that this craft did not resemble any man made object I'd ever seen.

"And it was certainly not high-altitude flares because flares don't fly in formation."

He added: "It remains a great mystery.

"Other people saw it, responsible people.

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"I don't know why people would ridicule it."

In a post on his blog kwbvnews.com accompanying his video, Mr Collins wrote: "Newly released classified footage of the infamous lights depicts military craft over the Phoenix basin engaging unknown aircraft."

He said his footage "verifies" that US Air Force craft were present that night.

However, he insists the other objects in the video are "noticeably not military".

To date the video has been viewed more than 11,000 times on YouTube.