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At least six dead, 20 wounded in attack on Iranian courthouse
ZAHEDAN, Iran – A brazen attack on a courthouse in Zahedan, Iran, left at least six people dead, including a child, and 20 others wounded on Saturday. Three of the attackers were killed by security forces during the assault, which involved both guns and grenades.
The violence unfolded in the capital of Sistan and Baluchestan province, a restive region in southeastern Iran, approximately 700 miles from Tehran. Police and security forces quickly secured the courthouse following the attack.
While state media did not identify the victims, the semiofficial Tasnim news agency attributed the attack to Jaish al-Adl, a militant group seeking independence for parts of eastern Iran and southwestern Pakistan.
Sistan and Baluchestan province, which borders both Afghanistan and Pakistan, has a history of conflict involving militant groups, drug smugglers, and Iranian security forces. As recently as October, a similar attack in the province targeted a police convoy, killing at least 10 officers.
The province, one of Iran’s least developed regions, has long been a point of tension between the predominantly Sunni Muslim population and the Shiite government.