Pakistani F-16 Downed By Taliban? Viral Burning Wreckage Video With ‘85510’ Marking Surfaces As Pakistan Bombs Afghanistan

As the war between Afghanistan and Pakistan escalates, several Afghan social media accounts are claiming that their forces shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet that allegedly violated Afghan airspace. The claim surfaced as Pakistan conducted airstrikes inside Afghanistan, but denied losing any aircraft.

Afghan Media Reports Pakistani F-16 Jet Downed

Afghanistan’s Tolo News reported, citing sources, that Afghan forces brought down a Pakistani aircraft after it entered Afghan airspace. The report gained traction after an X handle named “Afghanistan Defence” shared a video purportedly showing the wreckage of a burning F-16.

The footage shows the carcass of a fighter jet engulfed in flames. The vertical stabiliser bears a small Pakistani flag. Visible near the exhaust are the numbers “85510.” However, another version of the video circulating online claims the serial number of the aircraft as “85610.”

The video, which has gone viral on social media, remains unverified. NewsX could not independently confirm the authenticity of the footage or the claims surrounding it.

Pakistan Launches ‘Operation Ghazab lil Haq’ Against Taliban

Pakistan said the strikes were part of a retaliatory military campaign named “Ghazab lil Haq.” In a separate reference, the military action was also described as “Operation Ghazab lil Haq.”

Islamabad stated that the operation began late Thursday night after the Afghan Taliban allegedly launched attacks on several Pakistani border posts. Pakistan claimed the operation resulted in the killing of over 130 Taliban fighters inside Afghanistan.

Pakistani Airstrikes Hit Major Afghan Cities

On Friday, Pakistan bombed major Afghan cities, including the capital Kabul. The strikes marked a dramatic escalation in hostilities between the two neighbours.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif declared that the countries were now in “open war” following months of tit-for-tat clashes.

Asif confirmed that military operations were underway, stating that Pakistani armed forces were delivering a strong response to what he described as aggression from the Afghan Taliban.

“The forces of Pakistan had given a decisive response to aggression from the Afghan Taliban,” he said.

He added that Pakistan had made repeated efforts to maintain normalisation, both directly and through friendly nations.

Also Read: Pakistan-Afghanistan War LIVE: Islamabad Claims 130 Taliban Fighters Killed, Kabul Says 55 Pakistani Soldiers Dead, Khawaja Asif Declares Open War