Kabul says Pakistani fighter downed in Nangarhar; pilot captured alive
February 28, 2026: Tensions along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border escalated sharply after the Afghan Army claimed it shot down a Pakistani fighter jet over eastern Afghanistan and captured the pilot alive. Afghan officials said the aircraft was brought down in Nangarhar Province. Nangarhar Police spokesperson Sayed Tayeb Hamad stated that the pilot is currently in the custody of provincial police units. The spokesperson for the 201 Khalid bin Walid Corps, Wahidullah Mohammadi, confirmed the claim, alleging that the jet had entered Afghan airspace to carry out an attack before being shot down. Authorities also released an image purportedly showing the pilot’s parachute following ejection.
Soon after the announcement, hundreds of youths gathered outside a police station in Nangarhar, chanting slogans against Pakistan and expressing support for Afghan security forces. Afghan officials said the pilot survived the crash and was taken into military custody, adding that air and ground forces remain prepared to defend the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
There has been no official confirmation or denial from the Pakistani military regarding the claim. However, reports indicate that Pakistan carried out retaliatory airstrikes targeting the headquarters of the 201 Khalid bin Walid Corps in Nangarhar and the 205 Al-Badr Corps in Kandahar, with local sources citing powerful explosions and damage to brigade buildings. With both sides exchanging claims and counter-claims, the situation remains volatile, raising fears of a broader military confrontation.