Afghan Taliban have not shot down Pakistani helicopter, viral video is of September 2023 Gwadar crash

The iVerify Pakistan team investigated this content and determined that it is false.

To reach this conclusion, iVerify Pakistan conducted a reverse image and keyword search to find the original source of the helicopter crash video.

Posts from multiple users on social media platform X since December 28, 2024, shared a video, claiming it showed Afghan Taliban bringing down a Pakistan Air Force helicopter near the Durand Line. However, the video actually showed the crash of a Pakistan Navy helicopter in Gwadar, Balochistan, from September 2023.

Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged fire over the weekend ending the year 2024. Both sides suffered casualties in the clashes. Relations between the two are undergoing a tense period with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of harbouring and aiding terrorists which the latter denies.

HOW IT STARTED

The iVerify Pakistan team was alerted on Dec 29 about a post on X and requested authentication for its content.

On Dec 28, an Indian user shared a 17-second clip on X of a helicopter spiralling out of control before crashing to the ground.

The post was captioned: “Pakistani Airforce helicopter shot down by the elite commandos of the Afghan Taliban along the disputed Durand Line.”

The post gained 690,800 views.

The video was also widely shared by other users as can be seen here, here, here and here with a combined 10,000 views.

METHODOLOGY

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its virality, keen public interest in the ongoing tense relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to satisfy the public’s request seeking authentication for the claim.

A keyword search for “Pakistan Air Force helicopter shot”, “Afghan Taliban” and “Durand Line” did not yield any media reports or coverage of the alleged incident.

A reverse image search yielded a YouTube video from Indian media outlet Hindustan Times, dated September 4, 2023, titled: “Viral: Pak Navy’s Sea King Helicopter Splits Mid-air Before Nosediving In Balochistan”.

The 3:37 long video highlighted that a Pakistan Navy helicopter crashed on September 4 in Balochistan’s Gwadar, resulting in the deaths of three crew members.

The incident was covered in news reports by leading English news outlet Dawn as well as Indian media outlets such as Kalinga TV and NDTV.

According to the reports, a navy spokesperson had confirmed that Two Pakistan Navy officers and a soldier were martyred in a helicopter crash during a training flight in Gwadar.

The video of the crash was CCTV footage that captured the incident.

The same clip has been previously used by Indian propaganda outlets to spread misinformation regarding Pakistan and Balochistan.

FACT-CHECK STATUS: FALSE

The claim that a viral video shows the Afghan Taliban bringing down a Pakistan Air Force helicopter near the Durand Line is false.

The original video actually depicts a Pakistan Navy helicopter crashing in Balochistan’s Gwadar in September 2023 during a training flight.