Terrifying moment an ISIS jihadist blows himself up along with three Iraqi police officers as they go to arrest him in Mosul

  • WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT 
  • Footage shows police surrounding jihadist lying in a field south of Mosul, Iraq
  • As they moved in, the fanatic detonated his suicide belt sending officers flying
  • Incident happened when ten fanatics infiltrated a Federal Police helicopter base

By Julian Robinson for MailOnline

Published: 04:39 EDT, 27 April 2017 | Updated: 13:17 EDT, 27 April 2017

This is the terrifying moment an ISIS jihadist blew himself up along with three Iraqi police officers as they were going to arrest him in Mosul.

Dramatic footage shows police closing in on an extremist lying in the furrow of a field to the south of the war-torn city of Mosul in northern Iraq.

But before they could reach him, the fanatic detonated a suicide belt, with the force of the explosion sending the three officers flying.

Footage captured the terrifying moment officers were blown up by a suicide bomber hiding in a field in Iraq. A policeman can be seen approaching the jihadist before the explosion

Footage captured the terrifying moment officers were blown up by a suicide bomber hiding in a field in Iraq. A policeman can be seen approaching the jihadist before the explosion

As police approached to make an arrest, the jihadist detonated his suicide bomb, sending officers flying

As police approached to make an arrest, the jihadist detonated his suicide bomb, sending officers flying

Explosion: The force of the deadly blast (pictured) sent three Iraqi police officers flying

Explosion: The force of the deadly blast (pictured) sent three Iraqi police officers flying

Seconds later gunfire can be heard as Iraqi forces attempted to secure the area.

It is thought the incident happened as after group of about 10 assailants, including four suicide bombers, had infiltrate a Federal Police helicopter base in Al-Areej.

Iraqi forces have taken much of Mosul from the militants who overran the city in June 2014. The military now controls the eastern districts and are making advances in the west.

ISIS fighters, holding out in the Old City, are surrounded in the northwest and are using booby traps, sniper and mortar fire to defend themselves. 

It is thought the incident happened as after group of about 10 assailants, including four suicide bombers, had infiltrate a Federal Police helicopter base in Al-Areej

It is thought the incident happened as after group of about 10 assailants, including four suicide bombers, had infiltrate a Federal Police helicopter base in Al-Areej

Gunfire could be heard in the immediate aftermath of the explosion as police tried to secure the area

Gunfire could be heard in the immediate aftermath of the explosion as police tried to secure the area

Before police could reach the jihadist, he detonated a suicide belt, with the force of the explosion sending the three officers flying

Before police could reach the jihadist, he detonated a suicide belt, with the force of the explosion sending the three officers flying

Hundreds of thousands of civilians are still trapped in western Mosul, where Iraqi forces are making slow progress against Islamic State in what is a labyrinth of narrow streets.

As of April 20, some 503,000 people have been displaced from Mosul since October, according to government figures provided by the UN refugee agency UNHCR. 

The UN migration agency, the IOM, puts the displaced figure at 334,518 people as of April 23.