An Irish fighter for the so-called Islamic State known as 'Taliban Terry' has died in a suicide mission on Mosul, according to the terror group.

Terence Kelly, 49, killed himself by driving an armoured truck full of explosives at an Iraqi militia group in the city on Friday, according to the IS-linked Amaq news agency and social media reports.

A spokesman for the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs told The Irish Timesit was "aware of media reports concerning an Irish citizen in Iraq" and was "seeking to clarify the situation".

Amaq released a picture of a heavily bearded Terry dressed in black robes and holding a rifle as well as images purporting to show his suicide mission.

Terry was raised a Catholic and worked as a nurse in London before moving to Saudi Arabia, where he said he was converted to Islam in 2000 while serving a prison sentence for making alcohol illegally in his home.

He was later released at returned back to Britain around 2002, where he fell under the influence of radical Islamists such as Sheikh Omar Bakri.

Terry had expressed interest in founding an Al Qaeda support group called Islam for Ireland before later switching his support to IS.