Pak launches tit-for-tat strikes in Iran, targets 'terrorist' positions, 7 killed
A day after Iran admitted to carrying out a missile and drone attack in the Pakistani province of Balochistan, Islamabad has responded by striking militant targets in Iranian territory. Several terrorists were killed in the strikes, the Pakistan government said.
Of course, Islamabad's decision to respond with retaliatory strikes raises concern of further escalation of the tensions and violence that have been spreading across the Middle East and Asia since the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas and Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.
"This morning Pakistan undertook a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts in Siestan-o-Baluchistan province of Iran. A number of terrorists were killed during the intelligence-based operation – codenamed ‘Marg Bar Sarmachar'," a statement read.
The missile and drone strikes by Iran were in response to a suicide bombing carried out by Isis-K, the Afghan branch of Islamic State, which killed 85 Iranians in the south-eastern city of Kerman on 3 January. Iran had also carried out strikes against Syria, Iraq and Kurdistan.
Iran has long accused Pakistan of allowing separatist terrorists to hide out in the border region of Balochistan, which was targeted in the strikes.
A Pakistani intelligence source told news agency Reuters the strikes targeted Baloch militants inside Iran. "The targeted militants belong to BLF," the intelligence official added, referring to the Balochistan Liberation Front, which seeks independence for Pakistan's Balochistan province.
Pakistan on Wednesday condemned Iran for carrying out a missile and drone strike on its territory, which resulted in the deaths of two children and injuries to three others in Balochistan.
"ONE of the major irritants standing in the way of improved Pakistan-Iran relations is the presence of armed malign actors active along the common border of both states. These include criminals such as drug smugglers, as well as armed militants subscribing to both separatist and extremist ideologies," says an edit in 'Dawn'.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesman, Randhir Jaiswal, said in reply to media queries on Iran's missile assault in Pakistan:
"This is a matter between Iran and Pakistan. Insofar as India is concerned, we have an uncompromising position of zero tolerance towards terrorism. We understand actions that countries take in self-defence."
The MEA official's statement comes hours after a member of Iran's Revolutionary Guards was shot dead in the country's restive southeastern province that borders Pakistan and Afghanistan. This attack followed Iranian strikes at two bases of the militant group Jaish ul-Adl in Balochistan on Tuesday.
In now-deleted reports, state-run Iranian media said that "precision missile and drone strikes" were aimed at two strongholds of the Sunni terrorist group Jaish al-Adl (known as Jaish al-Dhulm in Iran). Iran claimed its missile strikes were aimed at militant groups involved in attacks on its territory, but Pakistan has rejected that explanation and strongly condemned the airstrike while warning of retaliation.
Pakistan confirmed the attack, claiming two children were killed, and three others were injured in strikes. The Foreign Office of Pakistan described it as an "unprovoked violation of its airspace" by Iran.
Jaish ul-Adl previously mounted attacks on Iranian security forces in the border area with Pakistan, as per news agency Reuters.
Pakistan on Wednesday also recalled its ambassador from Iran and suspended all high-level visits in response to Tehran's air strike on suspected terrorist hideouts in the Balochistan province of Pakistan a day before.
Last month, at least 11 Iranian police officers were killed in an attack overnight on a police station in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan. Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi, while visiting the site, had urged Pakistan to prevent terrorist groups from establishing bases within its borders, the official news agency of Iran reported at the time.
“Pakistan has always said terrorism is a common threat to all countries in the region that requires coordinated action. Such unilateral acts are not in conformity with good neighbourly relations and can seriously undermine bilateral trust and confidence,” a foreign office statement said in Islamabad.
Pakistan shares its borders with Afghanistan and Iran. Both Iran and Afghanistan are Islamic countries. Like Pakistan, Afghanistan is a Sunni-majority country while Iran is a Shia country.
Pakistan's relationship with neither of its neighbours is harmonious. In fact, the International Border with India and the Line of Control (LoC) have mostly been calm for some time now. While its borders with Afghanistan and Iran have turned hot.
Pakistan's Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani stressed Pakistan’s right to respond in a telephonic conversation with his Iranian counterpart on Wednesday following the “unprovoked violation of its airspace” by Tehran, according to the Foreign Office.
According to AFP, hours before the attack, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar had met Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
A press release issued today from the FO said that FM Jilani, currently leading the Pakistan delegation to the Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Uganda’s Kampala, received a telephone call from his Iranian counterpart on the matter.
Tehran’s top diplomat alleged that his country’s armed forces targeted an “Iranian terrorist group” in Pakistan later on Tuesday night.
“On Pakistan, none of the nationals of the friendly and brotherly country of Pakistan were targeted by Iranian missiles and drones,” FM Abdollahian said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
“The so-called Jaish Al Adl group, which is an Iranian terrorist group, was targeted,” he added.
Abdollahian said Iran’s attack on “Pakistan’s soil” was a response to the Jaish Al Adl group’s recent deadly attacks, particularly on the city of Rask in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan.
“The group has taken shelter in some parts of Pakistan’s Balochistan province,” he claimed, adding that “we’ve talked with Pakistani officials several times on this matter”.
China urged Pakistan and Iran to show “restraint” following the incident.
Speaking at a regular briefing today, China Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said: “We call on both sides to exercise restraint, avoid actions that would lead to an escalation of tension and work together to maintain peace and stability.”
“We consider both Iran and Pakistan as close neighbours and major Islamic countries,” she added.
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