India: A widely circulated post on X (formerly Twitter), falsely attributed in some shares to the official US Army account, claiming “War has begun. Afghanistan fighter jets are continuously carrying out airstrikes on Pakistan. Two Pakistani airbases and three fighter jets have been destroyed,” has been identified as misinformation.
The claim originated from low-follower accounts such as @AfganArmyStan, @MEGAPOLITICSS, and others, often accompanied by unrelated or recycled imagery. No credible evidence supports Afghan Air Force operations against Pakistani territory or military infrastructure as of February 24, 2026. Official US Army channels (@USArmy) have issued no such statement, and searches across verified defence sources yield zero corroboration.
The narrative appears to invert the actual events: On February 22, 2026, the Pakistan Air Force conducted cross-border airstrikes into eastern Afghanistan (Nangarhar and Paktika provinces), targeting alleged hideouts of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP). Pakistan’s military claimed the “intelligence-based” operations eliminated at least 70 militants responsible for recent attacks inside Pakistan, including suicide bombings during Ramadan.
Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government strongly condemned the strikes as a violation of sovereignty, reporting civilian casualties—including women and children—with at least 17–18 deaths confirmed by local sources and the UN. Kabul has vowed retaliation but has not announced or executed airstrikes on Pakistan. The Afghan Air Force, largely comprising aging Soviet-era aircraft and limited operational capability post-2021, has shown no capacity for sustained cross-border offensive operations.
This incident marks the latest flare-up in the long-running Afghanistan–Pakistan border conflict, driven by mutual accusations over militant sanctuaries along the Durand Line. Pakistan blames Afghan soil for TTP safe havens fueling attacks; Kabul denies harboring groups and accuses Islamabad of aggression.
Defence analysts note that such viral disinformation—often amplified by partisan or clickbait accounts—exploits regional tensions to spread panic or propaganda. No escalation to full-scale war involving Afghan jets has occurred, and both sides remain in a state of heightened alert without confirmed reciprocal airstrikes.
Indian observers continue to monitor developments closely, given implications for regional stability and cross-border terrorism dynamics.
contact: drrajeshjauhri@gmail.com
Dr Rajesh Jauhri is a Journalist with an experience of over 25 years in Indian and foreign media, a Social Scientist, an Ac-complished Author, a Political & Strategic Analyst, a Marksman (Rifle & Pistol), an Orator, a Thinker and an Educationist. He holds a Ph.D. degree on “Impact of colonial heritage on Indian police”. He runs an NGO dedicated to the social and eco-nomic uplift of tribal communities in MP and two decades back, he established a school in a village of Indore district, providing education and moral values to children belonging to underprivileged and minority families. Has received multiple awards in various fields.
