Amnesty for Jundallah Insurgents

The governor of Iranian Baluchistan said on Saturday that the Iranian government has offered amnesty to 110 members of Jundallah, with some insurgents handing over their weapons to the authorities. Governor Ali Mohammad Azad added that some 200 more insurgents have sought amnesty.

Iranian intelligence agents arrested Jundallah’s leader, Abdulmalik Rigi, in February when he was en route from Dubai to Kyrgyzstan. Rigi’s arrest has had a devastating effect on Jundallah, a traditional tribal hierarchical organization. Members of Jundallah were following Rigi out of their loyalty to the top tribal leader. Without Rigi, they might not feel as compelled to continue his cause. The demise or marginalization of Jundallah would be an important victory for the Islamic Republic in the country’s southeastern border region.