Zahedan [Iran], July 27 (ANI): A deadly armed assault shook the city of Zahedan, capital of Iran’s Sistan and Balochistan province, on Saturday morning in what is being described as one of the most significant militant attacks in the region in recent months, The Balochistan Post (TBP) reported.
The attack began around 8:50 a.m. local time when heavily armed assailants stormed the High Court building on Azadi Street. The attackers reportedly made their way directly to the judges’ chambers, opening indiscriminate fire and killing or injuring multiple court staff and security personnel.
The Baloch militant group Jaish al-Adl later claimed responsibility for the assault, calling it “Operation Justice for Bask.” In a statement, the group said the attack was a retaliation against what it described as the Iranian judiciary’s continued oppression of Baloch citizens. The militants involved were reportedly members of a special unit named the “Fedayeen of Divine Justice,” according to TBP.
Following the initial assault, a secondary attack was launched involving mortars and hand grenades. This follow-up strike occurred as Iranian security forces began massing near the scene. Witnesses reported loud explosions, intense gunfire, and rising smoke visible throughout Zahedan’s central district.
The city has since been placed under high alert, with authorities imposing strict movement restrictions around the courthouse. Local residents claimed that security forces fired indiscriminately into the compound from rooftops, raising fears of additional civilian casualties.
Iranian state media reported that three attackers were killed during the incident. Five individuals targeted in the attack also died, and at least fifteen others were injured, The Balochistan Post stated.
The incident marks a significant escalation in ongoing tensions in Sistan and Balochistan, a province long marred by unrest and strained relations between the Iranian state and its ethnic Baloch minority. The province has seen periodic violence, with militant groups accusing the government of systemic discrimination and harsh crackdowns.
The situation in Zahedan remains volatile, with heightened security measures in place and concerns about further violence in the region. (ANI)
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