Fact Check: Old MiG-29 Crash Video Falsely Shared As Recent Rafale Downing Amid 'Operation Sindoor'
In a decisive military response, India launched "Operation Sindoor" in the early hours of Wednesday, targeting nine strategic sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The strikes, executed around 1:44 AM, were a direct reaction to the devastating Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. The Indian Armed Forces emphasized that the precision strikes were carefully planned to avoid Pakistani military installations, focusing solely on terrorist infrastructures to prevent unnecessary escalation.
This operation comes amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. India’s military action targeted sites identified as key hubs for planning and coordinating cross-border attacks. According to defense officials, the operation was intended to deliver a strong message against the continued use of terror as a state policy while maintaining strategic restraint.
The X handle of PIB Fact Check debunked the viral claims, stating, "An old image showing a crashed aircraft is being re-circulated by pro-Pakistan handles in various forms in the current context of #OperationSindoor." It further clarified that the image in question is from the 2024 Barmer crash, not a recent incident.
As the situation unfolds, misinformation has also begun to circulate on social media, potentially inflaming public sentiment. One widely shared video falsely claims to show an Indian Rafale jet shot down near the Poonch sector. However, this claim is incorrect. Investigations by Times Now revealed that the video is not recent and does not involve a Rafale aircraft.
It is actually footage from an incident on September 2, 2024, when an Indian MiG-29 fighter jet crashed near Barmer, Rajasthan, during a routine night training mission. The aircraft suffered a critical technical snag, forcing the pilot to eject safely, with no loss of life or property reported on the ground.
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