The main differences between their battlefield claims remain unresolved after the rapid escalation of military conflict between India and Pakistan and the rapid escalation of the battlefield.

These include Pakistan's assertion that it shot down five Indian fighters on May 7 (the first day of the fight) in response to India's attack on its territory.

When a narrative battle takes over from the actual battle, Al Jazeera takes a look at what we know about the claim and why, if true, is important.

what happened?

Tensions between India and Pakistan broke out on May 7 as India bombed six Pakistan cities and nine locations in Kashmir, Pakistan.

India said it attacked the so-called "terrorist infrastructure" in response to the fatal killing of tourists in Kashmir, which was managed by the rebels on April 22.

The gunman shot 25 male tourists and local pony riders on the picturesque grass in Pahalgam on April 22, sparking anger and calling for revenge in India. New Delhi accused Pakistan of supporting the fighters who attacked the attack, and Islamabad refused.

Pakistan said Indian troops attacked two cities in Pakistan-managed Kashmir on May 7, as well as four locations in Punjab, the country's largest province, the largest. It said civilians were killed in the attack. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh rejected Pakistan’s claim, reiterating that Indian troops “hit only those who hurt our innocents”.

Over the next four days, two nuclear-armed neighbors made a huge blow to each other’s air races while releasing drones to each other’s territory.

Amid concerns about the nuclear exchange, senior U.S. officials called on Indian and Pakistani officials to end the conflict.

On May 10, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Washington has successfully mediated a ceasefire between nuclear-weapon neighbors. The ceasefire continues despite initial allegations of violations between the two sides.

Pakistan reported on Tuesday that the Indian strike killed at least 51 people, including 11 soldiers and several children, while India said at least five military personnel and 16 civilians died.

What does Pakistan claim?

Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar spoke to Al Jazeera shortly after the May 7 attack, saying Islamabad shot down five Indian jets, a drone and many four-limbed gunmen in retaliation.

Later that day, Pakistan's military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the fighter planes were shot down in Indian territory, and aircraft from both sides crossed each other's territory during the attack - India's claim was seconded.

"Neither India nor Pakistan need to send its own planes out of its own national airspace," British defense analyst Michael Clarke told Al Jazeera.

“Their confrontation weapons have a long enough range to achieve obvious goals when flying in their own airspace,” he added.

On Friday, Pakistan's deputy air marshal Aurangze Ahmed claimed that among the five shot down planes, three Rafales, a Mig-29 and Su-30 were provided with electronic signatures of the plane in addition to the exact location of the plane's impact.

The battle between Pakistan and Indian jets lasted for more than an hour.

He said the confrontation had at least 60 Indian aircraft, including 14 French-made gusts, while Pakistan deployed 42 "Hi-Tech aircraft", including the US F-16 and the Chinese JF-17 and J-10S.

What was India’s reaction?

Pakistan lowered Indian fighter jets, a report described by India's embassy in China as "false information."

However, other than that, New Delhi has not officially confirmed or refused to report.

When asked whether Pakistan managed to weaken Indian jets, AK Bharti, Director General of Air Operations of India, avoided the direct answer.

"We're in a battle scene and the loss is part of it," he said. "As for the details, I don't want to comment on it at the moment because we're still fighting and giving to the opponent. All of our pilots are back home."

What else do we know?

Except for the official accounts, local and international media reported different versions of Pakistan’s claims about shooting down jets.

Three fighters crashed in Indian-controlled territory, according to Indian security sources who spoke with Al Jazeera.

They did not confirm the country to which the fighter jet belonged. However, neither side suggests that Pakistani aircraft crosses Indian airspace and that any fragments of India's controlled territory may have come from Indian aircraft.

Reuters News Agency also reported that four government sources in India-managed Kashmir said three fighters crashed in the area. CNN reports that at least two jets crashed, while French sources told U.S. media that at least one gust was shot down.

Photos taken by an Associated Press News reporter show fragments of an aircraft in India managing the Pulwama district of Kashmir.

Will both sides reach a consensus on what happened?

Defense analyst Clark said if India does lose its gusts, it will definitely be "embarrassing".

He added: "If it falls within Indian territory, if it is destroyed, that must be the case, then India will just want to keep it as a rumor as long as possible."

“What India is saying is that “loss” is inevitable, which is probably as close as they acknowledge that certain aircraft losses have been lost for a period of time.”