In a unique record of sorts, a bullet fired by a Canadian sniper aiming to kill an ISIS fighter in Iraq has surpassed the previous longest-confirmed kill by almost 1,000 meters.
According to News Week, the shot fired by the Canadian sniper travelled 3,450 meters (over two miles) and took less than 10 seconds to reach its target.
The identity of the Canadian sniper, who is a member of Canada’s Joint Task Force 2, which is part of the US-led coalition that is fighting with the ISIS fighters in Iraq, has not been revealed for operational security reasons.
The sniper made the kill during an operation that took place within the last month in Iraq, the report quoted sources as telling The Globe and Mail.
A McMillan TAC-50 sniper rifle - the standard long-range sniper of the Canadian military – was used to kill the ISIS fighter and the shot was fired from a high-rise building in an undisclosed location.
Firing from such a distance, the shooter would have had to account for wind; the round dropping as it was fired from a higher location; and even the curvature of the earth.
Notably, Canada has been involved in the war against ISIS since 2014.
Here are the top five longest confirmed kills recorded so far: -
-Canadian sniper in Iraq (2017): 3,450 meters.
-British sniper Craig Harrison in Afghanistan (2009): 2,475 meters
-Canadian sniper Rob Furlong in Afghanistan (2002): 2,430 meters
-Canadian sniper Arron Perry in Afghanistan (2002): 2,310 meters
-US sniper Brian Kemer in Iraq (2004): 2,300 meters