Key points:
- Wreckage found near Akalia Khurd and Wuyan includes a jet engine, fuel tank, and unexploded MICA missile.
- A third suspected crash site was identified in Akhnoor.
- Indian officials have remained silent, strengthening Pakistan’s narrative.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s claims to have shot down multiple Indian fighter jets during a dramatic escalation in hostilities on Wednesday appear to be supported by verified evidence, according to an investigation by The Washington Post.
The losses, which include a Rafale and a Mirage 2000—both French-made aircraft operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF)—mark one of the most significant setbacks for India’s military aviation in recent memory.
Western experts verify crashes
According to the Post’s detailed assessment, conducted with the assistance of renowned defence experts including former US Army explosive ordnance technician Trevor Ball and analysts affiliated with the Foundation for Strategic Research, there is strong evidence suggesting the destruction of a Rafale fighter jet—one of India’s most advanced aircraft—and a Mirage 2000.
Indian jet wreckage found
One image reviewed by The Post shows the Rafale’s vertical stabiliser bearing the stencilled word “Rafale,” the serial number “BS 001,” and an Indian flag. These markings match previously published images of an Indian Rafale jet, adding to the credibility of Pakistan’s assertion.
While the precise location of the wreckage could not be independently geolocated, it was reportedly captured near the village of Akalia Khurd in Indian Punjab, not far from the Pakistani border. Local Indian media also reported a crash in the area and noted that Indian authorities were seen retrieving debris.
In another confirmed instance, parts of a Mirage 2000—an aircraft that has served in the Indian Air Force since the 1980s—were found in Wuyan, a village in Occupied Kashmir.
According to The Washington Post, images show what appears to be an external fuel tank and a jet engine component inside a damaged school. The analysts noted that such parts are typically only found in the aftermath of a crash or shootdown. Eyewitnesses also claimed that the plane crashed into the school shortly after Indian strikes began.
A third incident reportedly occurred in Akhnoor, also in Occupied Kashmir, though the available visuals did not allow for the aircraft type to be confirmed. Still, multiple visuals from all three sites suggest a significant aerial loss for India.
Further strengthening Pakistan’s case, one video shared online and verified by The Washington Post shows an unexploded French-made MICA missile—used by both Rafale and Mirage jets—still attached to its launch rail, lying on the ground near Akalia Khurd.
These missile launch rails are attached to the aircraft, and it being on the ground, along with the large fire in the background indicates a crash likely occurred, Trevor Ball told The Post.
This development comes amid heightened tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours, triggered by Indian airstrikes in Pakistani territory following a deadly militant attack in Occupied Kashmir. Analysts say this is the deepest Indian aerial incursion into Pakistani airspace in over five decades.
Silence strengthens Pakistan’s case
While Indian officials have remained silent—a typical response during military crises, according to experts—that silence has arguably worked in Pakistan’s favour. “The Indian government during a crisis is typically very guarded about operational details,” said Arzan Tarapore, a Stanford University researcher on Indian military strategy, in comments to The Washington Post.
Meanwhile, Sushant Singh, a lecturer at Yale and a former Indian military officer, acknowledged that India’s refusal to comment has allowed Pakistan to “claim a win, and maybe that could be an off-ramp” for de-escalation.
As regional tensions mount, the on-ground situation remains fluid, but the verified findings reported by The Washington Post lend significant credence to Pakistan’s claims—a rare instance of independent Western media corroborating Pakistani military success in real time.
