ISLAMABAD: Ten Iranian border guards were killed in Taftan city, located in the country’s southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province bordering Pakistan, during clashes with militants, Iran’s state media reported on Saturday.
One of Iran’s poorest regions, Sistan-Baluchistan on the border with Pakistan has long been plagued by unrest involving drug-smuggling gangs, rebels from the Baloch minority and religiously motivated militants.
“Sistan and Baluchestan police information base announced in a statement that a few hours ago, armed gangs clashed with the border police patrol in Goharkoh, Taftan city, in Sistan and Baluchestan province, and killed 10 border guards,” state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) said in a post on its website.
The state media said Iran’s minister of interior appointed a team to investigate the “dimensions of this incident.”
Pakistan and Iran have had a history of rocky relations despite a number of commercial pacts, with Islamabad being historically closer to Saudi Arabia and the United States.
Pakistan and Iran are also often at odds over instability on their shared porous border, with both countries routinely trading blame for not rooting out militancy.
The militant group Jaish Al-Adl (Army of Justice) has claimed responsibility for several attacks on Iranian forces in Sistan and Baluchestan.
Tensions surged in January when Pakistan and Iran exchanged airstrikes, both claiming to target alleged militant hideouts in each other’s countries. Both sides have since then undertaken peace overtures and restored bilateral ties.
Iran says 10 guards killed during clash with militants in province bordering Pakistan
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Iran says 10 guards killed during clash with militants in province bordering Pakistan
- Armed gangs clashed with border police patrol in Taftan located in Sistan-Baluchestan province, says Iranian state media
- Pakistan and Iran are often at odds over instability on shared porous border, blaming each other for not rooting out militants
Pakistan PM condemns reported drone attack on Putin’s residence
- Russia has accused Ukraine of firing 91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles at Putin’s residence in Novgorod
- Ukrainian president has denied Russia’s allegations, saying they are aimed at derailing ongoing peace process
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday condemned a reported drone attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence that Moscow has blamed on Ukraine, describing it as a threat to ongoing peace efforts.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine of firing “91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles” at Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region between late Sunday and early Monday, saying all of them were shot down.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who met US President Donald Trump on Sunday for talks on ending the war, called Russia’s claim “a complete fabrication” designed to derail the peace process. He suggested Moscow was preparing to intensify its bombardment of Ukraine.
“Pakistan condemns the reported targeting of the residence of His Excellency Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation,” Sharif wrote on social media platform X.
“Such a heinous act constitutes a grave threat to peace, security, and stability, particularly at a time when efforts aimed at peace are underway.”
Sharif expressed solidarity with Putin, the people and government of Russia, reiterating Islamabad’s “firm rejection” of violence and acts threatening peace.
Russia’s allegations come at a crucial time as both sides remain engaged in peace talks with Washington.
Ukraine says it has agreed to 90 percent of a US-drafted peace plan — including the issue of post-war security guarantees — though the issue of territory in a post-war settlement remains unresolved.
Russia, which has stayed silent about what parts of the US plan it has agreed to, said Monday it was still committed to the peace process but would “revise” its position in light of the alleged drone attack.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, describing it as a “special military operation” to demilitarize the country and prevent the expansion of NATO.
Kyiv and its European allies say the war, the largest and deadliest on European soil since World War II, is an unprovoked and illegal land grab that has resulted in a tidal wave of violence and destruction.
