IS's latest rifle can fire bullets three times size of normal gun

In a new revelation about the weapons used by the Islamic State (IS) Sunni radical group, a militant has been pictured aiming a 10-foot-long sniper rifle in Kobani.

The special weapon fires 23 mm calibre bullets, far larger than the standard size, The Daily Mail reported Thursday.

The rifle is so big that it has to be supported on two tripods and fires ammunition that's three times the size of standard rifle ammo.

"The problem with identifying the effect of this gun is firstly that we don't know for sure what the calibre is, although there wouldn't be a lot of point in building something like this if it wasn't of a significant calibre," the report quoted David Dyson, a firearms expert, as saying.

"Secondly, and probably of more importance, we don't know how well it is made: Is the barrel accurately machined and rifled," David added.

The effect will also depend on the type of ammunition used.

This rifle will be effective against personnel and vehicles including lightly armoured ones.

The picture emerged after a show of force by Al Qaeda's Nusra Front, a rival group.

The IS was formed by a merger of the Nusra Front and Al Qaeda in Iraq in 2013, but many in the former group rejected the move. By March 2014, over 3,000 fighters had been killed in clashes between the two sides.