On Thursday (18th January), Pakistan launched “precision military strikes” against what it claimed “terrorist hideouts” in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province leaving seven people dead. While Pakistan claims to have killed many terrorists in its “intelligence-based operation” named “Marg Bar Sarmachar”, Iran’s news agency IRNA reported that among the seven killed by Pakistan today were three women and four children who were not Iranian citizens.
“Seven people, who did not have Iranian nationality, were killed during Pakistan’s missile attack on the southeastern Iranian city early on Thursday,” IRNA reported citing a provincial security official.
IRNA reported that the strike, which occurred at 04:05 local time (0335 GMT), was directed at an Iranian border settlement, according to Ali Reza Marhamati, the deputy governor-general of Sistan-Baluchestan province in southeast Iran. Marhamati reported that three women and four children were killed in the attack. He went on to explain that another explosion occurred near Saravan with no casualties. Saravan is located 347 km southeast of Zahedan, the capital of Sistan-Baluchestan, and shares a border with Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement patting its back for its so-called “series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes” which killed women and children. “This morning’s action was taken in light of credible intelligence of impending large scale terrorist activities. This action is a manifestation of Pakistan’s unflinching resolve to protect and defend its national security against all threats,” the statement reads.
🔊: PR NO. 1️⃣7️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣4️⃣
— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) January 18, 2024
Operation Marg Bar Sarmachar
🔗⬇️ https://t.co/1n5BvtEZBZ pic.twitter.com/VVf5VwL00L
Furthermore, Pakistan called Iran a “brotherly country” and asserted that it had advocated for dialogue and cooperation to combat terrorism. “Iran is a brotherly country and the people of Pakistan have great respect and attention for the Iranian people. We have always emphasised dialogue and cooperation in confronting common challenges including the menace of terrorism and will continue to endeavour to find joint solutions,” the Foreign Ministry said.
HalVash, an advocacy group for the Baloch people, posted pictures on X that showed the remains of the munitions used in the strike. It stated that several residences in Saravan had been struck. It released videos of a mud-walled building being destroyed and smoke rising after the strike.
تصاویری دیگر از یک منزل تخریب شده در پی اصابت موشک ها به سراوان و مناطق اطراف
— حال وش (@haalvsh) January 18, 2024
بگفته منابع حال وش تعدادی منازل در شهر سراوان و اطراف آن بر اثر اثابت موشکهای ارتش پاکستان مورد اصابت قرار گرفته اند که گفته میشود ساکنین منزل در زیرآور گیر افتاده اند.
گفتنی است ارتش پاکستان با… pic.twitter.com/XIkD78dQNf
In other X posts, the group released pictures of the alleged victims of Pakistani ‘precision strike’.
به گزارش حال وش/ تعدادی از کشته شدگان حمله‌ی موشکی و پهپادی ارتش پاکستان که بامداد امروز شهر سراوان و مناطقه مرزی این شهرستان را مورد هدف قرار داده بود احراز شده و شمار جان باختگان به ده کشته و دو مجروح افزایش پیدا کرد.
— حال وش (@haalvsh) January 18, 2024
بر اساس اطلاعات دریافتی بیشتر کشته شدگان از خانواده‌های… pic.twitter.com/8MxoNUt0tb
به گزارش حال وش/ تصاویری از پیکر دو کشته شده حمله موشکی و پهپادی ارتش پاکستان که بامداد امروز شهر سراوان و مناطق مرزی این شهرستان را مورد هدف قرار داده که در پی آن دستکم ده بلوچ کشته و دو تن مجروح شدند.
— حال وش (@haalvsh) January 18, 2024
بر اساس اطلاعات دریافتی بیشتر کشته شدگان از خانواده‌های اعضای گروهای… pic.twitter.com/1NvOW4gzXt
Meanwhile, Iranian state television, quoting an anonymous official after the Pakistan strike, said Tehran strongly condemned the attack and “demanded an immediate explanation” from Pakistan.
Iran summons Pakistani ambassador
Iran summoned Pakistan’s charge d’affaires on Thursday after the strike. “Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires to protest against the missile attack from the neighbouring country to a southeastern Iranian village near Saravan on Thursday,” IRNA reported.
Iran strikes Jaish-al-Adl headquarters in Pakistan
As reported earlier, on 16th January, Iran attacked the headquarters of a terrorist group with drones and missiles inside Pakistan’s territorial borders. Two important headquarters of Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice) in Pakistan were destroyed. The strikes were concentrated in an area in Pakistan’s Balochistan region where “one of the largest headquarters” of Jaish al-Adl was located.
Following the attack, Pakistan expelled the Tehran envoy and recalled its ambassador. “Pakistan has decided to recall its ambassador from Iran and that the Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan, who is currently visiting Iran, may not return for the time being,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said while addressing a press briefing in Islamabad.
Meanwhile, the Iranian foreign minister admitted to missile and drone strikes in Pakistani territory. Hossein Amir-Abdollahain said the strikes in Pakistan targeted an “Iranian terrorist group”, and that the Tehran government had asked Pakistan several times to take action on the group.
Notably, Jaish al-Adl, formed in 2012, designated as a “terrorist” organisation by Iran, is a Sunni terrorist group that operates in Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan.
