State television in Iran has confirmed that ten security members lost their lives in two attacks attributed to jihadists in the country’s volatile southeast.
“The incident involving the terrorist attacks concluded with the martyrdom of 10 security personnel,” the report stated, also noting that 18 “terrorists” were killed.
Among the targeted locations was a police post in Sistan-Baluchistan province, which shares a border with Pakistan.
General Mohammad Pakpour, who heads the Guards’ land forces, said on television that 15 attackers were killed during clashes with security forces.
Mirahmadi said more than 10 security force members were hurt during the clashes that began Wednesday evening.
The Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice, in Arabic), claimed the attacks on its Telegram channel.
Sistan-Baluchistan province, bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan, has long been plagued by unrest from various groups, including drug smugglers, Baluchi rebels, and Sunni Muslim extremists.
Recent history in the province has seen similar attacks resulting in casualties, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by Iranian authorities in the region.
The city of Zahedan, a Sunni-majority area in predominantly Shiite Iran, has been a focal point of protests and violence following incidents of alleged abuse and breaches of dress codes, leading to deadly clashes and widespread unrest across the country.
The authorities have identified some of these events as foreign-instigated “riots,” resulting in numerous casualties and arrests as tensions continue to simmer.
