Year-old video of explosion aftermath in Karachi misrepresented as Taliban ambush

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan remain high after weeks of escalating border clashes despite a truce in October, but a video of vehicles engulfed in flames circulating on social media does not show a military convoy ambushed by the Taliban near the border as claimed. The video had previously circulated in news reports in October 2024 about an explosion near Karachi airport that killed two Chinese nationals.

“Serious damage to Pakistan Army following Taliban ambush at Ghulam Khan border between Pakistan and Afghanistan,” reads the Thai-language caption of an X-rated video shared on December 1, 2025.

It shows several vehicles on a burning road, while what appears to be security personnel walking around the debris.

Screenshot of the fake X post captured on December 2, 2025, with a red X added by AFP

The same video, although mirrored, was also shared in multiple languages ​​in similar posts on Facebook, Instagram and X.

The images circulated as relations between Islamabad and Kabul – strained since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021 – deteriorated after border clashes in October killed around 70 people on both sides (archived link).

Despite a truce negotiated in October by Qatar and Turkey, deadly clashes took place in this tense border region.

Security issues are at the heart of the controversy, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of harboring militant groups, including the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), a group distinct from the Afghan Taliban although they share ideological roots, which launch attacks in Pakistan. The Taliban government denies these allegations.

The video circulating was, however, filmed in October 2024 and not at the country’s border.

Karachi blast

A reverse image search on Google using keyframes from the falsely shared video led to a longer version posted on Instagram by Pakistani media outlet Dawn on October 7, 2024 (archived link).

“An explosion was reported near Karachi airport on Sunday evening, with noises heard by people in different areas,” the caption read.

The falsely shared video also appears to have been flipped horizontally.

The message was also included in Dawn’s report on the explosion (archived link).

AFP reported that the massive explosion killed two Chinese nationals and injured several Pakistani citizens (archived link).

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group advocating autonomy for Pakistan’s Balochistan province, claimed responsibility, saying it had targeted a convoy of Chinese engineers and investors.

The group regularly targets Chinese nationals, saying ethnic Baloch residents do not receive their fair share of the wealth extracted by foreign investors.

The Chinese Embassy in Islamabad confirmed the deaths and urged Pakistan to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens, institutions and projects.

One of the burning vehicles seen in the falsely shared video is also visible in AFP photos taken after the explosion.

The AFP has already denied other erroneous information linked to the Afghanistan-Pakistan conflict.