Fact-check: Old videos falsely linked to recent Pakistan-Afghanistan border clashes
The videos predate the recent border clashes or were filmed in locations unrelated to Pakistan
Updated Thursday Oct 16 2025
Following border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan that began on October 11, several videos surfaced online claiming to show scenes from the recent fighting.
However, these clips are old and unrelated to the current conflict.
Claim: A 32-second video posted on X (formerly Twitter) allegedly shows a Pakistani Air Force airstrike in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Fact: The claim is false. The footage first appeared online in October 2023, long before the recent clashes. Turkish outlet TRT Haber shared the same video last year, reporting it as Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.
The report can be read here
Claim: A 16-second clip circulating online claims to show the Afghan National Army shooting down a Pakistani fighter jet near the Durand Line, killing two pilots.
Fact: Geo Fact Check found that the video has been online since July 2022. It depicts an Indian Air Force MiG-21 crash in Rajasthan, India, as reported by The Economic Times, an Indian news outlet.
Read the full report here
Claim: A video showing a large fire in mountainous terrain is claimed to depict the Afghan Taliban destroying two Pakistani border posts.
Fact: The video has been online from at least March, as can be seen in this Facebook post — therefore, much before the hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan this month.
Claim: A photo of a burning fighter jet allegedly shows a Pakistani aircraft shot down by Afghan forces.
Fact: The claim is incorrect. The image dates back to March 2022, when a Pakistan Air Force trainer aircraft crashed near Peshawar during a routine mission. Two pilots were martyred, as reported by The News.
The original report can be read here.
Claim: A 19-second video purportedly shows Afghan forces posing at a captured Pakistani border post.
Fact: The video has been online since 2024, as can be seen here and here. While it is unclear when or where it was recorded, it is clear that the footage predates the latest clashes.
Verdict: All examined visuals are outdated or misattributed. None depicts the recent border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
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