Pakistani F-16 downed amid Afghan airstrikes? What fact-check reveals about viral clip

A video circulating on social media claims Afghan forces have shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet during recent border tensions. The clip shows burning aircraft wreckage with a small Pakistani flag painted on the body and the number “85510” visible near the engine. The footage has not been independently verified.

The claim surfaced after fighting escalated between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban government. Pakistan confirmed it carried out air strikes early Friday under what it called Operation ‘Ghazab lil-Haq’, targeting locations in Kandahar, Kabul, and Paktia. Afghan authorities said they responded along the Durand Line, the disputed 2,500-km border between the two countries.

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According to Grok AI’s analysis, the viral claim that Afghan forces shot down a Pakistani F-16 appears to rely on recycled footage rather than fresh evidence. Grok notes that the video matches a 1990 US F-16 training crash in Arizona, not a recent incident along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

‘Now it will be Dama Dam Mast Qalandar’: Pakistan says patience over, declares ‘open war’ on Afghanistan

What is being claimed?

Afghanistan’s Tolo News, citing sources, reported that Afghan forces shot down a Pakistani aircraft that had entered Afghan airspace. Around the same time, an X handle named @AfganArmyStan posted: “We have shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet. This war will continue until the very end of Pakistan.”

We have shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet.

This war will continue until the very end of Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/OsKYrCQonI

— Afghanistan Army (@AfganArmyStan) February 27, 2026

Big Breaking:

A Pakistani Military F-16 fighter jet is known to have been shot down by Afghan Defence Forces.#Pakistan@DGISPR @adgpi pic.twitter.com/UOL9Ly3lur

— Brig Brijesh Pandey (@BPanIndian) February 27, 2026

When we asked Grok to verify the video, X’s AI chatbot responded:

“The post from @AfganArmyStan claims Afghan forces downed a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet during recent border clashes, sharing images of burning wreckage marked with a Pakistani flag, amid escalating tensions from Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan soil. This incident follows Pakistan’s February 27, 2026, confirmation of airstrikes on Taliban targets in Kabul and Kandahar, prompting Afghan retaliation and claims of territorial gains, highlighting longstanding Durand Line disputes. The claim appears to be propaganda using footage from a 1990 U.S. F-16 training crash in Arizona (serial 85-610), as debunked by fact-checks from India Today and Defense Mirror, with no independent verification from satellite imagery or official sources.”

The video surfaced as tensions sharply escalated this week. Pakistan said its strikes were in response to “unprovoked firing” by Afghan Taliban fighters along several sectors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram and Bajaur.

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif described the situation as an “all-out confrontation” and said on X that the country’s “patience has reached its limit”. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the armed forces were capable of dealing with any threat, while President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan would not compromise on its territorial integrity.

Afghanistan’s Ministry of National Defence said dozens of Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory operations. Media reports spoke of explosions and gunfire in Kabul and Kandahar.

The Durand Line, which separates the two countries, has long been disputed and is not recognised by Afghanistan. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of sheltering Pakistani Taliban fighters active in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Last week, India condemned Pakistan’s air strikes on Afghan territory that reportedly caused civilian casualties. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India strongly opposed attacks that harmed women and children and reaffirmed support for Afghanistan’s sovereignty.