Pakistan: We Shot Down an Iranian Drone in Balochistan Province

Pakistani officials say that the Air Force of the country has shot down an Iranian drone deep within Pakistani territory. Simultaneously, the Pakistani newspaper 'Dawn News' reported that a Pakistani Air Force fighter jet targeted this drone in the 'Prom' area of 'Panjgur' city in Balochistan province. This news was published less than 24 hours after the U.S. military announced that an Iranian-made 'Shahed 129' drone was shot down by an American 'F-15' fighter jet early on Tuesday, June 30, in northeastern Syria near the Jordan border. According to published reports, the wreckage of this drone is in the possession of the Pakistani military, and images of it have been released in the media of this country. Iranian officials have not yet reacted to this news. The Associated Press reports that the Pakistani Air Force has declined to comment on this matter. The 'Farda' website, close to conservatives, analyzed this news and referred to recent operations by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the Chabahar region, stating: 'Intelligence investigations revealed that the logistical and command centers of some terrorist groups were located in Pakistan.' According to this website, this information has 'intensified border surveillance aimed at discovering infiltration routes' of armed groups from Pakistan into Iran. The 'Farda' website published images it described as the wreckage of the downed drone, stating: 'Iranian drones known as Shahed 129 have been monitoring and intercepting terrorists in the skies over areas contaminated by their presence.' However, this report did not mention the exact time of the drone's fall. Last Thursday, Iranian media reported clashes between armed individuals and intelligence forces in Chabahar County, in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. Reports indicate that in this operation, two assailants and one intelligence officer were killed, and five others were arrested. The Mehr news agency referred to the armed individuals as 'terrorists' and members of the 'Ansar al-Furqan' group, and reported the end of security forces' operations against them with the killing of Jalil Qanbarzahi, the commander of 'Ansar al-Furqan.' The 'Ansar al-Furqan' group is a Sunni jihadist group in Sistan and Baluchestan Province that, according to Reuters, had previously threatened to carry out suicide attacks in revenge for executed Sunnis. In this context, the U.S. shot down an Iranian-made drone in Syria, the IRGC reported the 'grounding' of a 'terrorist team' in Iran, and the governorate of Sistan and Baluchestan announced the killing of the leader of the 'Ansar al-Furqan' group.