At least 11 Iranian security force members and 16 assailants have been killed in simultaneous attacks on Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) headquarters in the southeastern border province of Sistan-Baluchestan, Iranian state TV reported on Thursday evening.
The attack was carried out by suspected Baluchi militants belonging to the Jaish al-Adl group, which has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks on Iranian security forces in the region in recent years.
According to reports, a fierce fight broke out between the al-Adl group and security forces in the cities of Chabahar and Rask.
According to Deputy Interior Minister Majid Mirahmadi, the militants had planned to seize the Guards headquarters in Chabahar and Rask, but they failed to succeed.
The attack happened just days after Iran threatened to avenge the suspected Israeli missile strike that destroyed its consulate in Damascus, Syria. This made the attack a particularly “critical time” for Iran.
In Monday’s attack, General Mohammed Hadi Hajiriyashmi, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s Quds Force, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, was killed.
Who are Jaish al-Adl?
Jaish al-Adl claims it seeks greater rights and better living conditions for ethnic minority Baluchis in Shi’ite-dominated Iran. The area, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has long been the site of frequent clashes between Iranian security forces and Baluchi militants as well as drug traffickers.
In December 2023, armed groups attacked local police Lask, killing 11 security personnel. In January, Iran targeted the group’s two military bases in Pakistan with missiles, prompting Islamabad to launch a military offensive against separatists in Iran.
Sistan and Balochistan occasionally witness deadly clashes between armed groups, drug traffickers and Iranian security forces.
In December, militants killed nearly a dozen police officers in an attack on a police station in the province. Jaish al-Adl group also claimed responsibility for the attack. The region is one of the least developed regions of Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian confirmed that Iran targeted “terrorist groups” for the attack. The United States designated the group as a foreign terrorist organisation in 2010. Iranian officials often say the group is linked to and financed by US, Saudi Arabia and Israel.
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