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05th Nov 2016

Irishman detonates suicide bomb while fighting for Islamic State near Mosul (Report)

Conor Heneghan

He is reported to have been one of five suicide bombers to detonate a suicide truck on Friday.

An Irishman is reported to have been one of five suicide bombers to have detonated a suicide truck fighting for Islamic State near the Iraqi city of Mosul on Friday.

According to Al-Masdar News, Islamic State claimed that one of the five fighters to have detonated a VBIED (vehicle-borne improvised explosive device) was an Irishman originally from Dublin, who was known by the alias Khalid Kelly.

Pictures of Kelly standing in front of the unit surfaced on social media on Friday night.

https://twitter.com/RamiAILoIah/status/794665553185177600

According to the BBC, Iraqi government forces claim that 90% of Mosul, a city held by Islamic State for over two years, is now under their control.

Concern has been expressed by the UN for the 1.5 million civilians living in the city due to increased evidence of Islamic State atrocities.

On Friday, the first convoy of vehicles carrying hundreds of people fleeing the conflict in Mosul arrived at a camp located east of the city.

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