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Pakistan carried out a series of strikes on what it said were separatist militant hideouts inside Iran on January 18, just two days after the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacked the strongholds of a terrorist-designated group in Pakistani territory.
In a statement, Islamabad’s Foreign Ministry said that the military has launched a “series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes” in the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchistan as part of an operation.
A “number” of militants were killed during the operation, which was called “Marg Bar Sarmachar” -a phrase which loosely translates to “death to the guerrilla fighters”-, according to the ministry.
“Over the last several years, in our engagements with Iran, Pakistan has consistently shared its serious concerns about the safe havens and sanctuaries enjoyed by Pakistani origin terrorists calling themselves ‘Sarmachars’ on the ungoverned spaces inside Iran. Pakistan also shared multiple dossiers with concrete evidence of the presence and activities of these terrorists,” the ministry said.
“However, because of lack of action on our serious concerns, these so-called Sarmachars continued to spill the blood of innocent Pakistanis with impunity. This morning’s action was taken in light of credible intelligence of impending large-scale terrorist activities by these Sarmachars. This action is a manifestation of Pakistan’s unflinching resolve to protect and defend its national security against all threats.”
The ministry added that it “fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” and that the “sole objective of today’s act was in pursuit of Pakistan’s own security and national interest which is paramount and cannot be compromised.”
Sistan and Baluchistan province’s deputy governor Alireza Marhamati told Iranian state media that at least seven people were killed following blasts and that the dead included three women and four children, who were all foreign citizens.
“At 4:30 a.m. explosions were heard in a border village, several missiles were fired at the village,” Marhamati said.
The deputy governor said another explosion took place near the city of Saravan, but there were no casualties from that blast.
Tehran demanded “an immediate explanation” from Pakistan over the strikes, Iranian state-aligned Tasnim news agency reported, citing an official.
The Pakistani attack came just two days after the IRGC launched strikes using “drones and missiles” against Jaish al-Adl, a terrorist-designated separatists militant group, near Panjgur city in the southwestern Pakistani province of Balochistan, bordering Iran. Tehran has accused the Jaish al-Adl of multiple attacks in the past.
Pakistan reacted to the Iranian strikes, which killed two children and injured three others, by calling it “unacceptable” and said the country reserves the right to respond to this “illegal act”.
While tensions between Pakistan and Iran are rising, a confrontation remains highly unlikely. The two countries will likely seek de-escalation through diplomatic means.
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