Wave of attacks in Iran's restive southeast escalates
At least six people including a local Revolutionary Guards commander were killed and several others were injured in a series of attacks on Tuesday in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province.
The deadly incident in the restive southeastern region was the latest in a string of attacks on security forces widely blamed on armed Sunni militants.
Unknown assailants killed an IRGC commander in the city of Bent named by state media as Parviz Kadkhodaei in an armed attack on Tuesday. The attack also claimed the lives of Yousef Shirani, head of the city council, and two conscript soldiers.
In a separate incident, two officers were killed when armed men opened fire on a police vehicle in Khash County.
Meanwhile, Haalvsh, a group monitoring rights violations in the region, reported that armed men targeted a military vehicle on the Jakigur highway in Rasak County. Shortly after, the insurgent Sunni Baluch group Jaish al-Adl claimed responsibility for the attack.
Recent attacks in Sistan and Baluchestan have intensified.
On Monday, Reza Shojaei, commander of the Sistan-Baluchestan Border Guard, announced that Mehdi Balouchi, a member of the Jakigur Border Guard unit, was killed in a clash with unidentified armed individuals, while two others were injured. The attack occurred during the transport of "food rations and support for border guards" near Pashamak village in Rasak County, according to a local news report.
On Sunday, domestic news agencies reported sporadic clashes across the province, with unknown gunmen involved in multiple shootings.
Jaish al-Adl, a group labeled a "terrorist organization" by Iran, Pakistan, and the United States, claimed responsibility for all the attacks.
The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported the death of Amir Mohammad Amiri, an Iranian border guard in the Makki Hirmand area, in a clash with armed individuals. In another attack, Ramin Velayati, a member of the Special Forces Command in Khash County, was killed by gunmen. Gunmen also opened fire on a police station in Iranshahr, injuring at least one police officer.
The escalation follows heightened tensions in mid-January when the Revolutionary Guards launched a missile strike on Jaish al-Adl positions within Pakistan.
The incident strained relations between Iran and Pakistan, leading to retaliatory actions by Islamabad within Iranian borders. However, both nations have since declared that tensions have been resolved.
