TEHRAN - 18 terrorists and armed criminals have been killed in the southeastern border province of Sistan-Baluchestan, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said in a statement on Thursday.

The armed militants linked to the Jaish-al Adel terrorist group were killed in attacks on public places and military and police forces.

The terrorists launched attacks with the intention to seize the IRGC headquarters in the towns of Chabahar and Rask.

In the clashes 10 security forces were also martyred and some others injured.

"A number of terrorists and armed bandits affiliated to foreign intelligence services" launched simultaneous attacks on five public places as well as military and law enforcement bases in Chabahar and Rask in the early hours of Thursday, statement said, Press TV reported.

They "were met with the tact, patience and intelligence of the security forces," the statement said.

It added in a “decisive operation” the IRGC and police forces “killed all the terrorists and armed bandits and complete security and peace has been restored to the areas."

The terrorist group of Jaish al-Adl (Soldiers of God), better known as Jaish al-Zulm (Soldiers of Brutality), has claimed responsibility for several attacks in recent years on Iranian security forces in the border province of Sistan-Baluchestan.

The area, which borders Afghanistan and Pakistan, has long been the site of frequent clashes between security forces and Takfiri terrorists as well as drug traffickers.

The overnight attack by the group conspicuously coincides with the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus which left 13 people dead, including seven IRGC military advisors.