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The crack snipers struck as crazed executioners held knives to the throats of a father and son near Mosul. Both men, from a family of eight, had refused to convert to Islam and were about to be executed when the Isis killers were blasted in their heads. The operation was carried out following the fall of Mosul last July and but has only just been made public, Daily Star Online reported.

GETTY SAS snipers killed Isis jihadis

British troops were informed a black-clad death squad of Islamic extremists were targeting Christian civilians near the war-torn city and set out to investigate. Using L115 rifles and loaded with .338 Lapua Magnum bullets, the snipers shot dead two fighters from 1,000m away. Then then turned their weapons on another pair of fighters.

As more jihadis tried to flee in a truck, they were taken out in a firefight that lasted around half an hour. The family were led to safety before another 80 fighters drove up to collect the bodies of the fallen terrorists. A source told the paper it was “a great day for the SAS”. They said: “It was a chance encounter.

Chilling photographs from inside Mosul Wed, June 21, 2017 Iraqi forces battle to retake the last enclaves held by Islamic State militants Play slideshow REUTERS 1 of 12 An Iraqi special forces soldier checks men for explosive belts as they cross from Islamic State controlled part of Mosul to Iraqi forces controlled part of Mosul