IRGC Reports Arrest of Members of 'A Group Linked to ISIS' in Western Iran

On Saturday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported a clash with 'a terrorist group' identified as members of ISIS at the western borders of Iran, announcing that 16 members of this group were arrested and three IRGC forces were killed in the confrontation. In a statement released by the IRGC's Najaf Ground Forces headquarters, the group was referred to as 'a 21-member terrorist team from the Takfiri ISIS group,' claiming that this group was 'pursued and monitored' after entering Iranian territory in the western region of the country, leading to the clash on Saturday morning. The Najaf Ashraf headquarters is one of the operational bases of the IRGC's Ground Forces located in Kermanshah province, bordering Iraq, and has previously reported clashes with armed groups identified as 'ISIS members.' The report did not specify the number of detainees or potential casualties or injuries from the operation, but mentioned the cooperation of Iranian security forces in identifying and monitoring the group's movements. Shortly after, news agencies reported, citing Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the IRGC's Ground Forces, that the clash occurred in the Bamo region of Thalath Babajani, bordering Iraq, and that three IRGC forces were killed in the confrontation. Pakpour indicated that some members of the group were killed in the clash with the IRGC forces, adding that 16 were arrested and two others fled and are now surrounded by IRGC forces. Verification of this report by independent sources is not possible. Iranian military and security officials have previously reported armed clashes with ISIS members in various western regions of the country; however, ISIS, which has lost nearly all its territory in Syria and Iraq in recent months, has never confirmed its presence in such clashes, although it has warned about targeting Iran several times. The Islamic State group, or ISIS, is a Sunni extremist group that describes followers of other sects and Islamic groups, including Shiites, as traitors and outside the faith. This group previously claimed responsibility for the attacks in Tehran in June of this year, which were among the few 'terrorist attacks' in Iran in recent years. During two attacks on June 17 at the Iranian Parliament and the mausoleum of the Islamic Revolution's founder, Ayatollah Khomeini, 22 people were killed, including five assailants. While ISIS claimed responsibility for this attack, Iranian officials pointed the finger at this group from the beginning, leading to a wave of arrests of individuals identified as supporters or agents of ISIS across various provinces in Iran. However, reports from Iranian military and security officials regarding arrests or clashes with individuals linked to ISIS have not been verified by independent sources.