An Iranian Border Guard Killed in Clash with Armed Individuals in Sistan and Baluchestan

Iranian news agencies have reported that during a clash between Iranian border forces and armed individuals identified as "outlaws," one border guard was killed and three others were injured. The Tasnim news agency, close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that this clash occurred on the morning of Friday, January 7, in the "area of border post 221 of the Jekigour border regiment in Sarbaz County." According to this report, the armed individuals intended to enter Iran from Pakistani territory and engaged with Iranian border forces. This report comes as the Director General of Border Affairs at the Iranian Ministry of Interior described these individuals as "terrorists" and stated that they "attempted an unsuccessful ambush operation" but were "repelled." Majid Aghababayi added that "the attack by these terrorist groups, which entered from Pakistani territory, occurred along the Jekigour border road near the Justice checkpoint." He identified the location of these groups as "Pakistani territory" and stated that "over 90% of drug and human trafficking into our country is carried out from within Pakistani territory by these individuals." Mr. Aghababayi accused Pakistani officials of being "unaccountable in this regard" and not taking "decisive action against these terrorists and outlaws." The Director General of Border Affairs also reported another clash on Friday evening, this time in the Saravan border area, where he claimed that "over 500 kilograms of drugs were discovered and seized in this successful operation." The Sistan and Baluchestan province in southeastern Iran has repeatedly been the site of confrontations between the military and police forces of the Islamic Republic and armed groups, which Iranian officials refer to as "terrorists," "traffickers," and "outlaws." In these clashes, dozens of Iranian border and police forces have lost their lives. The Islamic Republic has also reported the deaths of armed individuals and the seizure of hundreds of tons of drugs. The last reported clash in the border area of Sistan and Baluchestan province occurred on December 19 of this year in Saravan, where, according to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, one guard was killed and another was injured.