Sambisa Forest Airstrike Deals Major Blow to ISWAP as Commander, Eight Others Die

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has killed nine Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters including a notorious top commander in an airstrike inside the Sambisa Forest area of Borno State.

The Air Force revealed that the top commander, identified as Abu Khalid Al Muhajir, was instrumental in ensuring safe passage and providing special security escorts for senior leadership of the terrorist group.
It is understood that the successful military operation was executed on Saturday, August 8, 2026, based on actionable intelligence concerning the movements and gatherings of suspected terrorists within the forest enclave.

The development was confirmed in an official statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Public Relations and Information at the NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame.

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Air Commodore Ejodame, explaining how the operation was conducted, said a drone, officially known as a Remotely Piloted Aircraft, was deployed into the sky to conduct sustained aerial surveillance, monitoring, and tracking over the area.

Air force operators closely followed the movement of the armed men as they moved to a concealed location before executing a direct, targeted strike, he said.

The successful operation, conducted on Saturday, 8 August 2026, was based on credible intelligence on the activities and movement of suspected terrorists within the Sambisa Forest area. “From the intelligence, the NAF launched a Remotely Piloted Aircraft to carry out persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, which enabled us to identify and track a group of terrorists as they moved towards a suspected hideout,” Ejodame said.

“After positive identification and confirmation of the target, NAF aircraft executed a precision engagement on the location, he said. Subsequent battle damage assessment revealed major impact on the targeted compound with several terrorists neutralised.”

The NAF spokesperson added that intelligence sources confirmed the heavy bomb blast killed nine ISWAP fighters on the spot with many others sustaining varying degrees of injuries.

The Air Force said the killing of Abu Khalid Al Muhajir is a huge blow to internal network and movement of the terrorist organization.

Al Muhajir was a trusted strategist who, according to military reports, had an extensive knowledge of secret routes in the forest, difficult terrain and tactical paths linking major terrorist camps in the Sambisa Forest and surrounding communities.

The statement also revealed that some of the terrorists hit during the strike were connected to a recent deadly ambush against Nigerian troops along the Bita-Yamtage axis in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

The military said the destruction of the hideout will greatly hamper ISWAP’s capacity to safeguard its top leaders, move high-value personnel and coordinate attacks across the Northeast region.

The Air Force reiterated its commitment to restoring peace in the region, saying it will continue to use intelligence-backed air strikes in conjunction with ground troops to weaken terrorist networks, block their movements and protect local communities throughout the region.