Fact check: Viral visuals of Pakistani F-16 jet allegedly shot down by Afghan forces are doctored
Multiple Indian and Afghan users on social media platform X shared visuals on February 27, claiming that Afghan forces shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet amid the current conflict between the two countries. However, the visuals are doctored.
The iVerify Pakistan team investigated this content and determined that it is false.
To reach this conclusion, iVerify Pakistan analysed the visuals for discrepancies, verified aircraft serial records and ran the content through multiple AI-detection tools.
Multiple Indian and Afghan users on social media platform X shared visuals on February 27, claiming that Afghan forces shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet amid the current conflict between the two countries. However, the visuals are doctored.
Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against the Afghan Taliban, after the neighbouring country opened fire on multiple locations across the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on February 26.
Authorities in Kabul had called it a response to Pakistani strikes against terrorist hideouts on Afghan soil over the weekend.
On Feb 27, a pro-Afghan account shared an alleged video showing a downed Pakistani F-16 engulfed in flames on X with the following caption: “Big breaking news. This is a Pakistani military F-16, American-made, that Afghan defensive forces have shot down.”
The post gained 773,700 views.
The video with similar claims was subsequently shared by other propaganda — both pro-Afghan and pro-Indian — accounts, as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
These accounts also shared still images of the alleged fighter jet.
A pro-Afghan account shared the image with the following caption: “Security sources reported that Afghan forces shot down a Pakistani jet that had entered Afghan territory. Security sources have confirmed this news to several media outlets.”
That post gained 257,600 views.
Other shares can be seen here, here, here and here.
Another video of the same downed F-16 aircraft was also shared on X with the following caption: “Here’s his latest video.”
The post gained 80,200 views.
A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its virality and keen public interest in the current conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
A keyword search was conducted to corroborate whether any credible mainstream international or Pakistani media outlets had reported any such alleged downing of an F-16 jet, but yielded no results.
A close analysis of the viral videos and images revealed discrepancies in the aircraft’s markings.
The serial number visible on the tail of the jet in the viral video is “85510”. The same serial number is also printed on the body of the aircraft in the viral video, whereas the body of the original F-16 aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) does not contain any serial number.
Additionally, the size and proportions of the aircraft appear inconsistent when compared to verified images of an F-16.
Furthermore, in the viral video, a structure appears to be protruding from the tail of the aircraft and sits above the exhaust. However, upon closer inspection of actual F-16 aircraft images, this particular feature is noticeably absent, with the exhaust instead jutting out from the body.
Running the video through multiple AI-detection tools flagged it as being AI-generated. Attestiv.video gave it a 61 per cent suspicion rate, while AI or Not indicated the video was 70pc AI-generated and flagged the text in the video as 100pc AI-generated.
When iVerify Pakistan contacted a Pakistan Air Force officer for comment, they too identified key discrepancies about the viral F-16 aircraft video and said the exhaust appeared disproportionately large compared to genuine F-16 models.
The officer also said that the tail number did not match any existing F-16 aircraft in the air force.
Contacted for comment, Dawn news editor Ali Osman said the jet’s dimensions were “distorted”, adding that the burn marks on the tail fin also looked irregular.
A search of aircraft records on the f-16.net database shows that the serial number “85510” belongs to a United States F-16 aircraft that crashed in Arizona in 1990.
The viral circulating image was also analysed using AI-detection tools, with Fake Image Detector flagging it as computer-generated or modified.
The image presents the same discrepancy of a protruding part above the jet’s exhaust, unlike what a real jet looks like. The serial number is different as well, showing “85610” instead of “85510”.
The image also features a random and unexplained grey block at the top.
The second video of the same alleged crash was also analysed via Attestiv.video, which returned an 83pc suspicion rate.
It also presented the inconsistency of a different serial number from the first video. Moreover, the flames and smoke clouds in the video also appeared unnatural and looked inconsistent.
Therefore, the fact check determined that the claim that viral visuals show a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet allegedly shot down by Afghanistan amid the current conflict between the two countries is false. The visuals are doctored, as evidenced by being flagged by AI-detection tools, and present numerous discrepancies from what an actual F-16 jet looks like.
This fact check was originally published by iVerify Pakistan — a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.
