--- title: "That time a British sniper blew the head off of an ISIS executioner during beheading training session" description: "An ISIS militant teaching a class on how to behead captured prisoners was nailed in the head by a British sniper with the elite SAS from 1,000 meters away." date: "2021-11-08" modified: "2021-11-08" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/popular/british-sniper-blows-the-head-off-of-isis-executioner-during-beheading-training-session/" categories: - "History" - "Special Operations" - "Tactical" tags: - "ISIS" --- # That time a British sniper blew the head off of an ISIS executioner during beheading training session ![]() An ISIS militant teaching a class on how to behead captured prisoners was nailed in the head by a British sniper attached to the elite Special Air Service from 1,000 meters away. --- [*The International Business Times* says]() the 20-person execution class scrambled as the instructor's head was taken "clean off" by the round from an Israeli-made .338 caliber DAN rifle. The bullet is designed to "tumble" as it moves through a target's body, inflicting massive damage. ![]() * Israel Weapon Industries DAN .338 Bolt Action Rifle* "One minute he was standing there and the next his head had exploded," a British military source [told *Express UK*](). "The commander remained standing upright for a couple of seconds before collapsing and that's when panic set in. We later heard most of the recruits deserted. We got rid of 21 terrorists with one bullet." *Express* also reported that British SAS units are deployed in small numbers to combat Daesh terrorists to avoid an all-out ground war. The militants will either swarm to a location, making an airstrike a better defense or retreat using tunnels. One tactic the SAS uses is setting "[desert death traps]()" for jihadis by laying out dummies dressed as officers. The terrorist fighters are alerted by scouts and locals, take the bait, and are then gunned down by SAS snipers. ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()