A wave of armed attacks shakes Balochistan, Iran... from Jalq to Zahedan

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The province of Sistan and Baluchestan, southeastern Iran, witnessed a series of armed attacks targeting army and police forces in 3 regions, resulting, according to the announced outcome, in the killing of two security and military personnel and the injury of at least 3 military personnel, in a new security escalation in the border province with Pakistan.

On Thursday, Iranian television reported that a soldier was killed and 3 others were injured following an armed attack targeting a minibus carrying members of the 88th Armored Division of the Iranian Army’s Ground Forces, in the Nikshahr area.

According to the Iranian Radio and Television Corporation news agency, the bus was carrying soldiers stationed on the coast of Makran, while they were heading to change work shifts, when it came under gunfire. The agency stated that the attack resulted in the death of the soldier, Muhammad Reza Okati, and the wounding of 3 others, without announcing the identity of the perpetrators.

In a separate attack, the Iranian Fars Agency reported that a patrol belonging to the commando unit in Nusratabad was subjected to an armed attack on the Lakhshk Road in Zahedan, while carrying out a security mission. According to the Iranian police, the attack resulted in the death of Third Lieutenant Waheed Inayat, while a number of the attackers were injured before they fled the site.

The security authorities announced the start of operations to pursue the militants and determine their identities.

In the city of Jalq, in the Saravan region, the Hal Wash website reported on Wednesday that unidentified gunmen attacked the police headquarters using light and heavy weapons.

The website published video clips that showed a fire at the entrance to the security center, amid sounds of gunfire and explosions.

Iranian police confirmed that an explosion occurred, followed by an armed clash, explaining that the attack occurred while two patrols were leaving the police headquarters in Ghalshan.

She added that the confrontations resulted in the death of one of the attackers and the injury of others, while Tasnim Agency reported that the gunmen used an explosive device to target the patrol before the clashes broke out.

The attacks come in light of the continued activity of Baloch armed groups in Sistan and Baluchestan, most notably the “Army of Justice” organization, which over the past years has carried out attacks against the Revolutionary Guard, the police, and the Iranian border guard.

The organization appeared in 2012 after the dissolution of the Jundallah group, and is especially active in the border areas with Pakistan.

Baloch armed groups say that their operations are linked to political, religious and economic demands, related to what they describe as discrimination against the Baloch and Sunni populations in Iran.

On the other hand, the Iranian authorities classify these groups as terrorist organizations, accusing them of targeting security and military forces, and taking advantage of the border areas to carry out attacks and withdraw across the border.

Sistan and Baluchestan is one of the least developed provinces in Iran, and for years it has witnessed recurring security tensions, along with local demands for improved services and economic development.

The Jaish al-Adl organization had previously claimed responsibility for attacks against security sites in Rask and Chabahar, while other areas witnessed clashes between Iranian forces and armed groups.

The importance of the recent attacks is highlighted in their simultaneity and wide geographical scope, as they targeted a military bus, a security patrol, and a police headquarters within a short period.

The Iranian authorities did not announce, according to available information, who was responsible for the three attacks, and it was not clear whether the operations were coordinated or carried out by separate groups. Iranian security forces continue to search for the attackers, amid fears of continued attacks in the province, which constitutes one of the most prominent hotspots of security tension in the southeast of the country.