Fatemiyoun militia suffers losses in eastern Iran school strike

Violence in Iran's eastern Sistan and Baluchestan province intensified on Monday when a coordinated assault killed seven members of the Fatemiyoun militia at a school facility.

Local human rights monitors reported that two armed men arrived on motorcycles in the village of Bir at 4 p.m. on Monday. They opened fire on the Fatemiyoun forces stationed at the Bir-e Sofla School.

The school is located in the Kahiri district of Konarak County. The Haalvsh human rights monitor stated that the unknown assailants specifically targeted the militia members.

Seven fighters were confirmed dead in the exchange. Several others sustained critical injuries and were transported to medical facilities by ambulance.

The Fatemiyoun is a Shi'ite militia funded and trained by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC. Its ranks are composed primarily of Afghans.

State media provided a likely attribution for the attackers. The Tasnim News Agency, which is owned by the IRGC, reported that the gunmen were affiliated with Jaish al-Adl.

Jaish al-Adl is a Baloch nationalist militant organization that operates across the border between Iran and Pakistan. The agency noted that one gunman claimed to have attempted a separate attack on army personnel.

A second incident occurred in the same province on Tuesday morning. A security officer was killed by an unidentified gunman at approximately 7:45 a.m. in Saravan County.

The shooting took place near the Islamic Azad University and the governor's office building in the city center.

The slain officer was identified as Third Lieutenant Hojjat Vafakarde. He served in the police intelligence unit of Saravan County.

Tasnim News Agency described the Saravan attack as being carried out by members of a terrorist group affiliated with the United States and the Israeli regime. This characterization is common in Iranian state outlets when discussing opposition forces.

The dual incidents occurred within a 24-hour period. They mark a notable escalation in violence in a region where security forces face pressure from various militant groups.