What you need to know
The Nigerian Air Force says nine ISWAP fighters were killed in a precision airstrike in Sambisa Forest.
A commander identified as Abu Khalid Al Muhajir was reportedly among those killed.
The NAF says the operation could disrupt the movement and protection of senior terrorist leaders.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has reported the killing of nine Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters during an airstrike in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno State.
The operation was carried out on Saturday, August 8, 2026, after intelligence agencies identified the movement of suspected terrorists towards a hideout within the forest.
Read original: BendelNews
The Director of Public Relations and Information at NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Sunday.
According to him, the NAF deployed a Remotely Piloted Aircraft to carry out continuous Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance operations after receiving credible information about terrorist activities in the area.
The aircraft reportedly tracked a group of fighters as they moved towards a suspected hideout before conducting a precision strike after the target was positively identified.
Ejodame said subsequent assessment of the strike showed significant damage to the targeted compound, while further intelligence confirmed that nine ISWAP fighters had been killed and several others wounded.
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 senior members of the terrorist group.
The Air Force said Al Muhajir was also believed to have detailed knowledge of routes, terrain and tactical movements connecting major terrorist enclaves within Sambisa Forest and surrounding areas.
His reported death, the NAF said, could therefore represent a major operational setback for ISWAP.
The service also disclosed that intelligence suggested some of the fighters affected by the airstrike were linked to elements suspected of involvement in the recent ambush of Nigerian troops along the Bita-Yamtage axis in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
The NAF said the latest operation demonstrated the importance of intelligence-led air operations, particularly the combination of persistent surveillance and precision strikes.
It added that the operation is expected to affect ISWAP's ability to protect senior commanders, move high-value personnel and coordinate activities across its various enclaves.
The Air Force said it would continue to work with surface forces to conduct intelligence-driven operations aimed at weakening terrorist groups, restricting their movement and improving security across communities in the North-East.