Fact Check: Amid ceasefire violations, Pak accounts share OLD video as attack on Indian Army depot
Amid Pakistan's repeated ceasefire violations following the Pahalgam terror attack, a video showing massive explosions has gone viral. Many Pakistan-based accounts on social media claimed these explosions occurred at a military ammunition depot in India and were carried out by the Pakistani army.This 30-second-long video features several houses, indicating that the area was residential. At some distance, flames from the blasts were visible. Loud explosions could also be heard. A Pakistan-based account shared the video on X and wrote: 'Massive explosions reported at the military ammunition depot in India's Lipa Valley after being targeted by Pakistani forces.' Its archive can be seen here.advertisement
Some also claimed that the Indian Army caused these explosions in Pakistan. Notably, the Leepa Valley is part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.India Today Fact Check found that this video has no connection to the ongoing tensions between the two countries. It's from 2022 and shows a massive explosion in Sialkot, Pakistan.Our ProbeReverse-searching keyframes from the viral clip led us to a March 2022 post which contained the same video. This made it evident that the video is not related to the current tensions between the two countries that began after the Pahalgam massacre on April 22. The post said that the video was from Sialkot in Pakistan.We found several news reports featuring the same visuals. According to a report by India.com, a massive explosion occurred in Sialkot, Pakistan, on March 20, 2022. The sound of the blast was reportedly heard near the cantonment area in the Punjab province of Pakistan.advertisement According to reports, the explosions were caused by an accidental fire that broke out in an ammunition shed near the Sialkot Garrison due to a short circuit."Due to effective and timely response, the damages were immediately contained," the Pakistan Army's media wing said at the time, adding, "The fire has been extinguished." It also said there was no damage to property or loss of life.Thus, it is evident that a 2022 video of explosions in Sialkot is being falsely shared in connection with the current tensions between India and Pakistan.(Written by Abhishek Pathak)
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