WEB DESK: An armed assault on a courthouse in Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province resulted in the deaths of at least five people and left 13 others wounded, according to reports from Iranian media. The attack occurred in Zahedan, the provincial capital, and was attributed to the Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl.
Security forces responded swiftly to the incident, killing three of the attackers during the confrontation, a senior police official told state-run IRNA. Among the victims were a woman and her child, reportedly killed when a hand grenade was thrown into the building.
While Iranian outlets reported that Jaish al-Adl claimed responsibility for the assault, Reuters noted it was unable to verify the group’s statement independently.
Human rights organization HAALVSH, citing eyewitness accounts, said that judiciary personnel and security staff were among the casualties when gunmen entered the section of the building where judges operate.
Sistan-Baluchestan, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan, is predominantly inhabited by the Sunni Baluch minority. The region has long been marked by unrest, with residents voicing grievances over economic neglect and lack of political representation.
The area has been a hotspot for frequent violence, often involving clashes between Iranian security forces and armed factions, including separatists and Sunni militants. Tehran has accused these groups of links to foreign governments and involvement in drug trafficking and cross-border militancy.
