ISIL sniper shoots fighter as he tries to rescue civilian child

An ISIL sniper has gunned down a man as he tried to carry a civilian boy to safety on a war ravaged street of Fallujah.

Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU) posted a video last night of its fighter as he dashed across no-man’s land in a hail of gunfire to reach the boy.

With the boy hoisted on his shoulder for the return sprint, he was hit by the sniper and fell to the ground.

Other PMU fighters watching the rescue mission then used a tank as cover.

They crouched behind its armour while the war machine rolls out to the injured pair.

The men picked up the causalities and ran them back to safer ground.

PMU said the fighter and young boy were taken to a field hospital for treatment but did not give details on their injuries.

The PMU fighters are in Fallujah as support for Iraqi security forces.

The group was formed as a resistance against ISIL and its numbers are made up of multiple faiths including Sunni and Shiite Muslims.

Iraqi forces took over the centre of Fallujah on Thursday, forcing ISIL fighters to retreat into the northern outskirts of the city.

Fighting in the Iraqi city of Fallujah has displaced at least 30,000 people in three days, the Norwegian Refugee Council said Sunday, warning that a humanitarian disaster was unfolding.

Fallujah was the first city to fall out of government control in January 2014, as the jihadists began to establish a foothold in parts of the country.