Pakistan: Five Released Iranian Border Guards Handed Over to Iran
Mohammad Faisal, spokesman for Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced in a tweet on Thursday, November 14 (November 15): “With the help of law enforcement forces (LEA) and military forces, five Iranian border guards were released.”
According to IRNA, Mohammad Ali Jafari, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, also confirmed this message on Thursday and said: “Five border guards from Mirjaveh have been released and efforts continue to free other hostages.”
The commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said in a press conference: “These released hostages are in the hands of Pakistanis and are ready to be handed over to us.” Jafari, in connection with the captors, explained that they are working to free some of their members, but the Islamic Republic will not give in to their demands.
Abduction of Iranian Border Guards
On October 24 (October 16), 14 Iranian border guards were abducted at Pakistan’s borders. According to Iranian media reports, the attack on these individuals took place in the early morning hours in the Loolkdan zero border zone. The Loolkdan zero border zone is located 50 kilometers from Mirjaveh city. There had been previous attacks on Iranian forces in this location.
Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s foreign minister, after this attack in November of the current year personally traveled to Islamabad along with a delegation of political and military representatives to follow up on the situation of these border guards.
Jaish al-Adl Successor to Jundallah
The “Jaish al-Adl” group, which describes itself as a defender of the Sunni minority in the Sistan and Baluchestan region, claimed responsibility for the abduction of Iranian border guards by issuing a statement. This group was formed after the collapse of the Jundallah group.
Abdul Malik Rigi, the leader of the Jundallah group, who pursued an armed struggle against the Islamic Republic of Iran, was arrested in March 2010 and executed in June 2010. Jaish al-Adl was founded a few months after Abdul Malik Rigi’s execution by his brother, Abdul Rauf Rigi.
“Jaish al-Adl” abducted five Iranian border guards in February 2015 and killed one of them in retaliation for the death of one of its members in an Islamic Republic prison.
Source: DW
