Shreya Varanasi, Pune
Iranian military forces have reportedly killed the senior commander of the militant group Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice), Ismail Shahbakhsh, in an operation deep inside the Pakistan territory reported Iran International English while citing Iran’s state-run media. The military forces have reportedly also killed Shahbakhsh’s companions in the attack. However, there is no official confirmation from the government of Iran or Pakistan.
This development comes a month after both countries carried out airstrikes on each other. On the night of January 16, Iran was the first to carry out an airstrike and fired missiles and drones targeting two important headquarters of Jaish al-Adl in Pakistan territory. Islamabad claimed that Tehran’s attack had killed two children and injured three girls. On January 17, Pakistan removed its ambassador from Iran, stating that it would not allow the Iranian envoy who was visiting his home country at the time to return in protest at a “blatant breach” of sovereignty.
Two days later, Pakistan retaliated with missiles and fighter jets and targeted Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan province to attack the Balochistan Liberation Army and the Balochistan Liberation Front. However, both governments later agreed that their ambassadors would return to their respective postings.
Weeks after the two countries carried out airstrikes in each other’s territories to target “terror units”, Islamabad and Tehran mutually agreed to de-escalate tensions and expand security cooperation. This agreement was announced in a joint press conference by Pakistan Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani and the Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian held at the Pakistan Foreign Office. During the press conference, Jilani expressed a commitment to combat terrorism and address mutual concerns with Iran. Further, he also emphasized the possibility for rapid resolution of misunderstandings between the two nations. However, the recent conflict goes against the diplomatic overtures.
Iran recognizes Jaish al-Adl, which was created in 2012, as a “terrorist” entity. Al Arabiya News reports that it is a Sunni extremist outfit that operates mostly in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan. The gang has a history of attacking Iranian security forces, most recently in December, when it attacked a police station in Sistan-Balochistan, killing at least 11 officers.