FAKE: Claims of Afghanistan downing Pakistan F-16 jet debunked

Indian media outlets and pro-Afghan social media accounts claimed that Afghanistan shot down an F-16 fighter jet of the Pakistan Air Force.

Renowned Indian media outlet, NDTV, reported that, “Pakistan’s F-16 Fighter Jet Shot Down: Kabul’s Big Claim.” The post was also shared on social media and has been viewed 484,000 times.

This was accompanied by 15-second clip from an obscure account with the logo ‘Madaad’ allegedly showing the wreckage labelled as a downed F-16 jet.

This was amplified by the Indian media posted on several Indian and pro-Afghan social media accounts as seen here, here, here, here, and here.

Fact Check

The claim is false and bogus. There are no media reports in the Pakistani or international that indicates that Afghan forces shot down an F-16 jet or any Pakistani aircraft. There is no confirmation if the aircraft was used in the airstrikes in Pakistan.

Pakistan launched an operation on February 26–27, 2026, conducting airstrikes against military installations in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia of Afghanistan .  Afghan media claimed they shot down a Pakistani aircraft and killed several dozen soldiers.

The wreckage shows a large aircraft with tail number 85510 and Pakistani markings but it doesn’t resemble an F-16 fighter. The video show shows that the body of aircraft remains intact if it was shot down.

The video used to make the claim is AI-generated and does not show a PAF F-16 jet. The video has AI alterations and mismatched jet details.

The claims that Afghanistan shot down an F-16 jet are false.