News Agencies:Â
Zahedan, July 27 — At least six people lost their lives and 22 others were injured following an armed assault on a courthouse in Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province on Saturday, according to Iranian state media.
The attack, which occurred in Zahedan, the provincial capital, was reportedly carried out by members of the armed group Jaish al-Adl. Iranian news agency IRNA stated that three of the attackers were killed during clashes with security forces.
Authorities confirmed that among those killed were a young child, a 60-year-old woman, and three security personnel assigned to the courthouse. The identity of the sixth victim has not yet been disclosed.
Local officials reported that the attackers were armed with grenades and wore explosive vests, although it remains unclear whether the explosives were detonated.
Jaish al-Adl, which claimed responsibility for the incident via its Telegram channel, stated that it had targeted judicial staff in response to alleged human rights violations against Baloch residents in the region. The group accused members of the judiciary of issuing capital punishment and home demolition orders and warned of further actions.
In its statement, the group alleged that security forces were responsible for civilian casualties during the incident, citing indiscriminate gunfire.
Sistan-Baluchestan, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan, is a predominantly Sunni Muslim province and home to Iran’s Baloch ethnic minority. The region has historically seen tensions stemming from socio-economic grievances and demands for greater political representation.
A local human rights monitoring organization, HAALVSH, reported that several judiciary and security personnel were either killed or injured in the course of the attack, citing accounts from eyewitnesses near the scene.
Iranian authorities have yet to release a full account of the incident as investigations continue.
