NAF air strikes kill nine ISWAP fighters, commander in Borno

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By Kingsley Omonobi

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ABUJA — The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has reported the killing of nine Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, fighters, including a senior commander, in an air strike in Borno State.

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The operation was conducted on Saturday, August 8, 2026, following intelligence on the activities and movement of suspected terrorists within the Sambisa Forest area.

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Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

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Ejodame said the operation followed the deployment of a Remotely Piloted Aircraft, RPA, for persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, ISR, which enabled the military to track a group of terrorists moving towards a suspected hideout.

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He said the aircraft conducted a precision strike after the target was positively identified and confirmed.

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“Subsequent battle damage assessment indicated significant effects on the targeted compound, with several terrorists neutralised,” he said.

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According to him, further intelligence received after the operation confirmed that nine ISWAP fighters were killed, while several others were wounded.

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

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The NAF said his death was expected to affect the group’s movement and protection arrangements, particularly because of his reported knowledge of routes and terrain connecting terrorist enclaves within the Sambisa Forest and surrounding areas.

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Ejodame said intelligence also indicated that some of the terrorists affected by the strike 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.

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He said the operation demonstrated the growing effectiveness of intelligence-led air operations, particularly the use of persistent surveillance and precision strikes to locate and engage terrorist elements.

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The NAF said the operation was also expected to disrupt the movement of senior ISWAP members and coordination of activities across the group’s enclaves.

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Ejodame assured that the Nigerian Air Force would continue to conduct intelligence-led air operations in coordination with ground forces to degrade terrorist capabilities, restrict their freedom of movement and improve security for communities affected by insurgency in the North-East.

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