Iranian Troops and Police Targeted in Deadly Attacks: Armed Groups Intensify Assaults in Southeast.
At least five Iranian military and police personnel were killed and several others wounded in four attacks across southeastern Iran within 24 hours, sparking a renewed wave of violence in a region where armed groups have repeatedly targeted government forces.
The attacks, reported between Wednesday evening and Thursday evening, took place in Nikshahr, Nosratabad, Faryab and Jaleq in the Sistan and Baluchestan provinces, according to Haalvsh, a local human rights organization that monitors developments in the predominantly Sunni Baluch region.
Haalvsh reported that more than 12 security personnel were killed or wounded, warning that the final casualty count could rise as authorities identify additional victims and determine the condition of those transported to hospitals.
The People’s Fighters Front, an alliance of Baluch armed organizations established in late 2025, claimed responsibility for three of the attacks. The coalition includes Jaish al-Adl, an armed Sunni Baluch group that has carried out attacks against Iranian security forces.
Iranian authorities confirmed some fatalities but disputed the number of casualties reported by independent monitors.
In Nikshahr, gunmen opened fire on two vehicles carrying military personnel, killing Mohammadreza Okati and wounding at least five others, according to Haalvsh. The organization identified the wounded as Ali Najafi, Mohammadreza Hosseini, Mojtaba Mir and two other personnel identified by the surnames Keikha and Iranmanesh.
Iran’s army confirmed Okati’s death Thursday, saying personnel from its 88th Armored Division came under fire while traveling for a shift change. However, the military reported three wounded, rather than the five identified by Haalvsh.
Another deadly confrontation unfolded near Zahedan, the provincial capital, when gunmen ambushed a police commando patrol along the Lakhshak road in Nosratabad. Haalvsh reported at least three officers killed and two wounded, identifying two of the dead as Vahid Enayat and Abbas Aghaei.
Iranian police confirmed Enayat’s death but did not acknowledge the higher casualty figure. Authorities said officers returned fire, wounding several attackers who subsequently fled.
A third incident occurred in Faryab, where police Major Mehdi Jamshidi was shot dead while traveling in a private vehicle through the county center.
No organization had claimed responsibility for his killing as of Thursday. The fourth attack targeted police command headquarters in Jaleq, the administrative center of Golshan County, on Wednesday evening.
The People’s Fighters Front claimed its members used a mine, rocket-propelled grenades, and other weapons against the facility, asserting that six police personnel were hit. Videos obtained by Haalvsh reportedly captured sustained gunfire near the headquarters and an attack on at least one support vehicle.
Explosions and gunfire were also reportedly heard around the police compound. The latest violence follows several weeks of attacks in southeastern Iran, including an assault on military vehicles in Bampur earlier this week and deadly confrontations near Zahedan and Rask.
Sistan and Baluchestan, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan, has long experienced tensions involving Iranian authorities, armed separatist and militant organizations, and members of the Baluch minority who have raised grievances over discrimination and economic marginalization.
The region has also witnessed repeated security crackdowns and protests against Tehran. The full death toll remains unverified, particularly in Jaleq, where the number and identities of personnel reportedly hit have not been independently established.
