<figure id="attachment_3136976" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3136976" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3136976" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/e5f77909-sistan-balochistan-afp-170825.webp" alt="Sistan-Balochistan AFP 170825" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3136976" class="wp-caption-text">Sistan-Balochistan borders Pakistan and Afghanistan and is one of Iran&#8217;s poorest provinces. (AFP pic)</figcaption></figure>
TEHRAN: Iranian security forces today killed seven members of an extremist group in the southeastern province of Sistan-Balochistan, state media reported.
Deputy provincial governor Ali Velayatipour said the gunmen, all members of the Ansar al-Furqan group, were killed in the early hours of today, according to official news agency Irna.
The rebels &#8220;intended to attack sensitive centres and military and law enforcement bases&#8221;, Velayatipour said.
Iran has designated Ansar al-Furqan a &#8220;terrorist&#8221; organisation.
Last year, the group claimed a suicide attack that killed a police officer, also in Sistan-Balochistan.
The province which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan is one of Iran&#8217;s poorest, and a frequent scene of clashes between security forces and Baloch minority rebels.
It is home to a large ethnic Baloch population, most of whom are Sunni Muslims, in contrast to Iran&#8217;s Shi&#8217;ite majority.
Yesterday, gunmen killed a police officer in a shootout in the province, with the Sunni insurgent group Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice) claiming responsibility.
The group, based across the border in Pakistan, has claimed multiple attacks in recent years, including an assault on a courthouse last month that left at least six people dead.

MatchPoint Times

Iranian forces kill 7 rebels in restive southeast

The insurgents, members of the Ansar al-Furqan group, had planned to attack military and law enforcement bases.

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