Escalating Terrorist Violence in Sistan and Baluchestan Province
Jaish al-Adl's latest attack in Sistan and Baluchestan Province
Iran’s security forces announced that in a prolonged armed clash lasting several hours in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, six attackers were killed and two others captured. According to a statement by the provincial Intelligence Department, the armed group intended to strike a critical facility in eastern Iran, though the specific target was not disclosed.
Authorities allege that the group was linked to Israel and possibly trained by Mossad, based on evidence recovered at the scene. Officials further stated that the core members of the group were non-Iranian nationals, though their exact identities and countries of origin have not been revealed.
The incident follows a recent surge of violence in the province. Just two days earlier, an armed assault on two police patrol units along the Khash–Iranshahr highway left five Iranian police officers dead. The militant group Jaish al-Adl claimed responsibility, boasting that it had seized the officers’ weapons.
Separately, on Friday night, Majid Fallahpour, a local cleric from the Bazman district, was kidnapped by unidentified armed men. His son, who was present during the abduction, reported that the attackers forced his father into a Peugeot vehicle and transported him to an unknown location. Hadi Ramazani, head of the Sistan and Baluchestan seminary, condemned the act but emphasized that no threats would deter the clergy from their community role. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the abduction.
The region has seen repeated clashes in recent weeks. Two weeks ago in Saravan, one police officer and three militants were killed in another firefight. The Intelligence Department reported that in the most recent confrontation, Iranian forces seized a large cache of advanced weaponry including laser-guided RPG-7s, American-made machine guns, hand grenades, grenade launchers, explosive vests, handheld radios, and large quantities of ammunition.
Sistan and Baluchestan has long been one of Iran’s most volatile provinces, with its porous borders and frequent militant activity making it a persistent security challenge. Over the years, numerous Iranian security personnel have been killed in ambushes and firefights in the province.
A recurring theme in recent attacks has been the poor equipment and vulnerability of Iranian security forces. Footage released by Jaish al-Adl shows lightly armed Iranian police traveling in Samand sedans—vehicles designed for civilian use—being ambushed and killed. By contrast, militants appear heavily armed and well equipped.
Iran has previously announced the production of the Toufan armored MRAP vehicle in 2018, which was later seen deployed with Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces. However, such equipment has not been provided to Iranian forces in Sistan and Baluchestan. This gap has left local security and police units as soft targets for well-prepared militants. The combination of foreign-linked militant groups, porous borders, and under-resourced Iranian forces has turned Sistan and Baluchestan into one of the most dangerous provinces for Iran’s military and police personnel, with no immediate resolution in sight.