Deadly Attack on Iranian Police Station Leaves 11 Security Personnel Dead

Baluch militants launched a deadly attack on a police station in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, resulting in the loss of at least 11 security personnel. The assailants, believed to be members of the Jaish al-Adl group, targeted the police station in the town of Rask, situated about 1,400 kilometers southwest of Tehran.

The attack occurred around 2 a.m. local time, with the armed militants storming the station and engaging in a fierce firefight with the security forces. Senior police officers and soldiers were among the casualties, and at least eight others were wounded in the ambush. The officers at the targeted police station bravely defended themselves, managing to wound and kill some of the attackers.

The impoverished province of Sistan-Baluchestan, bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan, has a predominantly Sunni Muslim population, in contrast to the Shiite majority in Iran. This region has witnessed frequent clashes between security forces and Sunni militants, including members of Jaish al-Adl, which seeks greater rights and improved living conditions for the ethnic minority Baluchis.

Jaish al-Adl, designated as a terrorist group by Iran, claimed responsibility for the attack, marking one of the deadliest incidents in recent years in the volatile border region. The group has been involved in multiple attacks on Iranian security forces, including a suicide bombing in 2019 that claimed the lives of 27 members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

The Iranian authorities reported that several attackers were killed in the ensuing clashes, and one was arrested. A search operation is underway to locate other assailants who reportedly ambushed deployed forces to impede their response.

This attack comes in the context of ongoing unrest in Sistan-Baluchestan, where various factors, including drug smuggling, Baluchi minority rebels, and Sunni Muslim hardliners, contribute to instability. The region has also experienced anti-government protests, reflecting the discontent of Baluch people who feel marginalized by Iran’s Shiite rulers.