'Daring and courageous' reporter killed by roadside bomb while on assignment in war-torn Iraq

A Kurdish reporter has been killed by a roadside bomb in Mosul, Iraq on the same day she reported live from the scene in the war-torn city.

Kurdish news outlet Rudaw announced on Saturday that its journalist and anchor, Shifa Gardi, 30, had been killed by a bomb while on assignment covering the advance of Iraqi forces into western parts of the nation held by Islamic State militants.

Gardi had reported live from Mosul earlier in the day and had been embedded with Iraqi forces in the western Mosul offensive in Albu Saif as recently as February 22.

Cameraman Younis Mustafa was injured in the same attack, Rudaw said.

A statement from Rudaw said she was one of the network's most daring and courageous journalists.

"She was known as a renowned skilled journalist in Kurdish news media, and brought outstanding coverage to Rudaw TV right from the beginning of its establishment," the statement on the network's website said.

Gardi and her team were on a mission to investigate a mass grave where it was alleged that IS militants had killed and buried hundreds of civilians in Mosul, the website said.

While Iraqi forces continue to face stiff resistance from IS in the area, troops entered the western districts of Mosul for the first time on Friday as part of an offensive which began in October.

The Rudaw website said Gardi had been presenting a daily special program on the Mosul offensive.

It said in her last report she had spoken about the people that had fled IS by bus.

"Five buses, fraught with people, including a majority of women and children have run away,” she said.

"Their situation is miserable and have left everything,” said added aboard one such bus.

"There were only women and children with some men and juveniles. After they undergo investigations making sure that they have not helped ISIS militants, they will be allowed to take shelter at refugee camps.”

Gardi was born a refugee in Iran on July 1, 1986 and started her career in the media in 2006 after graduating from a media studies course from the Salahaddin University in Erbil.

Tributes have flown in for the journalist, with Kurdish President Masoud Barzani describing her as a "role model" for women.

"Her death reiterates the role, position, sacrifice and resilience of women and proud youth of Kurdistan’s nation," President Barzani's statement said.

"On this sad occasion, I direct my condolences to the family of Gardi, her colleagues at Rudaw Media Network and Kurdistan’s journalists as a whole. May she rest in peace."

On February 21, while she was covering the war, Gardi rescued a wounded rabbit that had been searching for refuge.

"I encountered an injured rabbit in the village of Albu Saif which was liberated yesterday evening,” Gardi told Rudaw when she returned to the newsroom.

"The rabbit is suffering from malnutrition which has caused visible damage to its face.

"I brought it back with me. We will be treating the rabbit and then give it to an animal protection agency which is willing to look after it."