IRGC Repels Attack by Baluchi Militants

Iran’s IRGC said today it has thwarted an attack by Baluchi militants on a security checkpoint near the town of Saravan, in Iranian Baluchistan. The province is dominated by Sunni Baluchis, bordering Pakistani Baluchistan. IRGC said the militants intended to capture the checkpoint station, but were repelled by IRGC Ground Force and Basij troops.

IRGC did not identify the attackers, but the Sunni insurgent group Jaish ul-Adl ("Army of Justice") has in the past year staged a number of attacks against the IRGC and border guards in Baluchistan. This latest attack happened in the early hours of Tuesday, and the attackers fled back to their base inside Pakistan.

UPDATE: An IRGC officer was killed in action during the attack by Jaish ul-Adl insurgents on Tuesday 9 September. (Shargh Daily, 10 September)

File photo: Members of Baluch insurgency group Jaish ul-Adl (taghribnews)

IRGC Put in Charge of Border Areas with Pakistan

UPDATE: IRGC to Give ‘Crushing Response’ to Abductors

UPDATE: IRGC director of public relations, Brig. Gen. Ramezan Sharif, told reporters in Tehran on Sunday that IRGC is “planning to give a crushing response to the abductors of Iranian border guards after taking control of Saravan borders in Sistan and Baluchistan province.” (Fars News Agency, 30 March)

Gen. Sharif’s announcement confirms the expectations that the IRGC’s move to militarize the border security, away from law enforcement agency NAJA, would mean it was planning a military incursion into Pakistan to conduct search and rescue operations.
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Below is the original article posted here on 29 March.

IRGC Ground Forces (IRGC-GF) was put in charge of security of a 300-km stretch of border with Pakistan. IRGC-GF’s southeastern headquarters in the city of Saravan, the so-called Quds HQ (not to be confused with IRGC-QF), took over the responsibility from Law Enforcement Forces (NAJA) and its border patrol unit, Fars News Agency reported today.

Last month, five border guards were abducted in that area by the Baluch militant group Jaish ul-Adl, and reportedly transferred to the Pakistani side of Baluchistan. Jaish ul-Adl has since executed one of the guards.

Yesterday, IRGC Commander Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari visited Saravan. (IRNA, 29 March)

“The IRGC's Quds Headquarters has been commissioned to ensure the security of 300 kilometers (186 miles) of Iran's border areas in the Southeastern city of Saravan in Sistan and Baluchestan province in a bid to step up security in the region,” Jafari said. (Fars News Agency, 29 March)

Gen. Jafari’s visit to the region came amid growing expectations that IRGC Special Forces, the Saberin, supported by IRGC-GF units, will soon conduct search and rescue operations inside Pakistani territory to free the remaining abductees.

The Iranian government, however, has been pressuring Pakistan to take the lead in freeing the guards before any military intervention across the border. It is not known if the IRGC or the Pakistanis know the exact location where the guards are being held.

Photo credit: IRGC Commander Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari (Press TV)