NAF Air Strikes Kill Nine ISWAP Fighters, Key Commander in Borno

By Harriet Tornguvan 

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has dealt a major blow to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), killing nine of its fighters, including a key commander, in a precision air strike in Borno State.

The operation, conducted on Saturday, August 8, 2026, targeted suspected terrorists operating within the Sambisa Forest following credible intelligence on their movements and activities.

According to a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the NAF deployed a Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) to conduct persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) over the area.

The surveillance enabled the military to identify and track a group of terrorists moving towards a suspected hideout.

Following positive identification and confirmation of the target, the NAF aircraft conducted a precision strike on the location.

A subsequent battle damage assessment indicated significant impact on the targeted compound, with several terrorists neutralised.

Further intelligence received after the operation confirmed that nine ISWAP fighters were killed, while several others sustained injuries.

Among those reportedly killed was Abu Khalid Al Muhajir, described by the NAF as a prominent ISWAP commander responsible for providing special security escorts for the movement of senior members of the terrorist group.

His elimination is expected to constitute a significant operational setback for ISWAP, particularly because of his reported knowledge of routes, terrain and tactical movements linking major terrorist enclaves within the Sambisa Forest and surrounding areas.

The NAF said intelligence also indicated that some of the terrorists affected by the strike were linked to elements suspected to have participated in the recent ambush of Nigerian troops along the Bita-Yamtage axis in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

The latest operation underscores the increasing use of intelligence-driven air operations by the NAF in the fight against terrorism in the North-East.

The integration of persistent surveillance with precision strike capabilities, the service said, is enabling the military to detect and track terrorist elements before they can regroup or pose further threats to troops and vulnerable communities.

Beyond the casualties inflicted, the operation is expected to disrupt ISWAP's leadership protection arrangements, movement of high-value personnel and coordination of activities across its enclaves.

The Nigerian Air Force said it would continue to sustain intelligence-led and precision air operations in close coordination with surface forces to degrade terrorist capabilities, restrict their freedom of movement and create a safer environment for communities affected by insurgency in the North-East.