At least 8 killed, 13 injured in terrorist attack on judiciary centre in Iran

A one-year-old child and the child’s mother were among at least eight people killed, while over 13 others were injured in a terrorist attack on a judiciary building in Zahedan city, the capital of Sistan-Baluchistan province, a restive region bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan in southeast Iran on Saturday, reported Iranian state media, while adding that the toll may go up further. Iranian media stated that the attackers tried to enter the building to scale a larger attack.

The official IRNA news agency confirmed that three of the attackers were killed during the assault, citing the regional headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the rescue operation is currently underway.

“Unknown gunmen attacked the judiciary centre in Zahedan, the capital of southeastern Sistan Baluchistan province,” the judiciary’s Mizan Online said.

Alireza Daliri, deputy police commander of Sistan-Baluchistan province, told local reporters that the incident is under investigation. Jaish al-Adl (Arabic for “Army of Justice”), a Baloch jihadist group based in Pakistan but also active in Iran, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Daliri said the attackers attempted to enter the building disguised as visitors. The assailants threw a grenade into the building, Daliri said, killing several people inside, including a one-year-old baby and the child’s mother.

Citing eyewitnesses, the Baluch rights group HAALVSH claimed that multiple judiciary officials and security personnel were killed or wounded when the attackers attempted to storm the judges’ chambers.

Baloch rebel group claims responsibility

Jaish al-Adl, a Baloch separatist group operating from Pakistan and active in Iran’s southeast, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to Iranian media reports.

Located about 1,200 km (745 miles) southeast of the Iranian capital Tehran, the restive Sistan-Baluchistan province shares a long border with Pakistan and Afghanistan and has for long witnessed frequent violence involving Baloch rebels, Sunni extremist factions, and drug trafficking gangs. The region is home to a marginalised Baloch minority and has witnessed repeated clashes with Iranian forces.

In one of the deadliest incidents in the region, ten police officers were killed in October in what authorities also described as a "terrorist" attack.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps in Zahedan said that 22 others were injured in the attack, with most of the casualties being ordinary citizens.

Clients and staff were escorted out by law enforcement forces and security personnel were deployed around the courthouse.