Gunfire Erupts Near IRGC Base In Iran’s Restive Province

An attack in Baluch-populated Zahedan on a police station in July 2023
An attack in Baluch-populated Zahedan on a police station in July 2023

Iranian Baluch activists have reported a significant shooting incident near the Quds base of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Sistan-Baluchistan province.

However, Governor Saeed Tajlili claimed that the shooting around the base was linked to a wedding celebration. According to initial reports, gunfire was reported last night in the vicinity of the base in Saravan. Tajlili added that military forces have detained the groom in connection with the incident.

As of now, no additional information is available concerning the circumstances surrounding the reported shooting.

The development comes on the heels of a recent attack on December 15 by the Sunni Jaish al-Adl militant group, targeting a police station in Rask, a small city in Sistan-Baluchistan Province. Iranian state media and Baluch groups reported a death toll of at least 12 police officers and several attackers killed during prolonged gunfire at the main police headquarters. Seven police officers sustained injuries, some critical.

Sistan-Baluchistan, an economically challenged province with a significant Sunni population of the Baluch ethnic group, grapples with ongoing tensions with Iran's Shiite clerical rulers. Regular clashes between security forces, Sunni militants, and drug smugglers characterize the region.

Discrepancies persist in casualty figures, with official reports stating 12 officers killed and at least seven injured, while Jaish al-Adl insists on a higher toll of 50.