This Video Is Unrelated to the Recent Afghan-Pakistan Conflict
The Claim
Afghan forces shot down Pakistan Army Helicopter along the disputed Durand line in Khost.
News posted on
Emerging story
Recently, social media users have been circulating a video that allegedly depicts Afghan forces downing a Pakistan Army helicopter along the contested Durand Line in Khost.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the circulating video and found the claim to be misleading.
Misbar's team found that the footage, published by Gerilla TV, a media outlet affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), shows a Kurdish fighter shooting down a Turkish AH-1 Cobra helicopter using a Russian-made 9K38 Igla anti-aircraft system.
The original source states that the incident occurred on May 13, 2016, in southeast Turkey.
In December 2024, social media users circulated the same video clip, claiming it depicted Kurdish rebels shooting down a Turkish military helicopter. Misbar debunked the claim and found the footage was shot in May 2016.
Afghan Taliban Targets Several Sites in Pakistan
The circulation of the claim came after Afghan Taliban forces aimed at “several points” within neighboring Pakistan, according to Afghanistan’s defense ministry on Saturday. This action came just days after Pakistani aircraft conducted aerial bombardments inside Afghanistan. The Defense Ministry's statement did not directly name Pakistan but referred to the strikes as occurring “beyond the ‘hypothetical line’,” a term used by Afghan officials to describe a disputed border with Pakistan.
The ministry mentioned that “several points beyond the hypothetical line,” which served as bases for hostile groups and their supporters who orchestrated attacks in Afghanistan, were targeted in reprisal from the country's southeastern region. Afghanistan has long contested the border, known as the Durand Line, established by British colonial authorities in the 19th century, which runs through a rugged and often lawless tribal area between the two nations.
Details regarding casualties or specific locations targeted were not disclosed. The Pakistani military's public relations division and a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to inquiries.
Afghan authorities had issued warnings on Wednesday about possible retaliation after the Pakistani airstrikes, which they claimed resulted in civilian casualties. Islamabad, in turn, stated it was targeting the hideouts of Islamist militants along the border. Relations between the two neighbors are tense, with Pakistan alleging that numerous militant attacks within its territory have originated from Afghan soil—a claim the Afghan Taliban rejects.
Pakistan’s Complex Relationship With Afghan Taliban and TTP
For decades, Pakistan has been viewed as a supporter of the Afghan Taliban, which first rose to power in 1996. It was believed that Pakistan had considerable influence over the group, providing shelter, funding, and diplomatic support.
Following the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks, many leaders of the Afghan Taliban sought refuge in Pakistan. In response to American drone strikes in the border areas, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, emerged.
Although the TTP shares ideological similarities with the Afghan Taliban, it has waged a violent campaign against the Pakistani state. In an effort to eliminate the TTP, the Pakistani military has launched multiple operations, driving many of its leaders into Afghanistan. When the Afghan Taliban regained control of Kabul in 2021, Pakistan hoped to use its historical ties to mitigate TTP activities. However, a recent increase in attacks within Pakistan suggests these efforts have not been successful.
Asif Durrani, a former Pakistani ambassador and special representative to Afghanistan, asserts that the Afghan Taliban face significant challenges in managing the TTP and other groups, including the ISIS affiliate in Khorasan Province. “The Afghan Taliban must choose between supporting the TTP or prioritizing their relationship with Pakistan,” Durrani told Al Jazeera. “They often reject outside help to combat these groups while claiming to manage them independently.”
Journalist and analyst Sami Yousafzai, who has extensively covered the region, remarked that both governments benefit from maintaining a conflict at a low level, despite indications on social media suggesting a potential escalation is imminent. “I don’t think either side wants to worsen the situation. However, the Pakistani military is under public and internal pressure due to repeated TTP attacks and must exhibit some form of retaliation, even if it doesn’t significantly degrade the TTP,” Yousafzai told Al Jazeera.
Read More
