TEHRAN – In a major counterterrorism operation on Thursday night, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force dismantled four terrorist groups in the Sistan-Baluchestan province, a southeastern region bordering Pakistan.

The extensive security exercise, dubbed the “Martyrs of Security” drills, successfully neutralized threats close to the Iranian-Pakistani border.

General Ahmad Shafaei, spokesperson for the operation, confirmed that IRGC forces eliminated four terrorists and detained eight others, dealing a decisive blow to groups accused of acting on behalf of hostile forces. 

He emphasized that this operation, conducted in coordination with the Intelligence Ministry’s provincial office and local police, was a targeted response to recent security challenges in the area.

According to Shafaei, IRGC units employed advanced combat technology, including sophisticated hardware and drones, along with new reconnaissance and combat tactics. Among those captured was a key figure linked to a recent deadly assault on police forces in Taftan, where 10 Iranian law enforcement officers were killed in the Gohar Kuh district of the county. The attack, one of the deadliest in recent months, was claimed by the so-called “Jaish al-Adl terrorist group,” a militant organization known for violent actions in Sistan-Baluchestan.

The IRGC seized a significant cache of weapons and ammunition from the groups. 

Jaish al-Adl, which operates across the border, has a history of violent activity against Iranian security forces, as well as abductions of border guards and attacks on civilians and police stations aimed at destabilizing the region. 

Earlier in January, Iran launched a missile strike on the group’s headquarters based in Pakistan, targeting its infrastructure and crippling its operational capabilities. The IRGC’s latest mission is part of its ongoing commitment to securing the province and curbing cross-border threats in cooperation with other security agencies.