A veteran sniper has killed at least 173 ISIS fighters in Iraq at the age of 62 after volunteering to join the fight against jihad in his home country.

Footage shows the grey-bearded Abu Tahseen allegedly shooting and hitting a militant from the mountains in Iraq he is defending with his deadly aim.

Mr Tahseen, who has fought in five conflicts, expertly spots the target, shoots, then says 'sweet' before praising the prophet Mohammed in the video.

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Veteran sniper Abu Tahseen (pictured) has killed at least 173 ISIS fighters in Iraq at the age of 62 after volunteering to join the fight against jihadism in his home country

Footage shows the grey-bearded sniper carrying huge bullets for his gun (pictured) and allegedly shooting at militants from the mountains in Iraq he is defending with his deadly aim

Mr Tahseen, who has fought in five conflicts, expertly spots the militants (pictured), shoots, then says 'sweet' before praising the prophet Mohammed in the video

The sniper joined the Popular Mobilization Units as a volunteer to defend Iraq is currently stationed at Makhoul Mountains in North Baiji.

He has been fighting since May 2015 and tells the camera he has already killed 173 militants, although the number could have risen significantly since it was filmed in December.

The pensioner, who has bullets longer than his fingers strapped to his belt, talks about what his powerful weapon does to his targets, saying it 'pushes him back one meter before putting him down'.

He talks proudly about how militants fear the area he defends with his gun, pointing to the miles of wide open space below, saying: 'You see this area - I guarantee to god no-one would come up it'.

The sniper joined the Popular Mobilization Units as a volunteer to defend Iraq is currently stationed at Makhoul Mountains in North Baiji

In the video, as he explains his role in the conflict, Mr Tahseen, who has fought in the Yom Kippur war, Iran-Iraq war, Invasion of Kuwait, Gulf War, hears chatter on the radio (pictured)

He then settles to take aim (pictured), and talks to his spotter has he looks down at the open ground below through his sights, and allegedly sees another sniper and his spotter

Mr Tahseen says he refuses to leave the spot, and when he was given a month off, he returned to defend it just 12 days later.

He is one of a small army of volunteer fighters, many of whom have fought ISIS in Syria but returned to defend their homeland when the group gained a foothold in Iraq.

As he explains his role in the conflict, Mr Tahseen, who has fought in the Yom Kippur war, Iran-Iraq war, Invasion of Kuwait, Gulf War, hears chatter on the radio.

He then settles to take aim, and talks to his spotter has he looks down at the open ground below through his sights, and allegedly sees another sniper and his spotter.

Mr Tahseen (pictured) peers though his sights, sitting deadly still, as he takes aim and presses the trigger, and tying to control the huge rifle's massive kickback

Mr Tahseen says he refuses to leave the spot, and when he was given a month off, he returned to defend it just 12 days later

'He's sitting next to him, right? or am I mistaken?,' he says to his spotter, who agrees that he can see their heads showing.

Mr Tahseen then peers though his sights, sitting deadly still, as he takes aim and presses the trigger, and tying to control the huge rifle's massive kickback.

The shot shakes the sniper, but he doesn't remove his eye from the sights, watching for a few seconds until he sees the shot hit his target.