Iranian military forces have reportedly killed a prominent commander of the Jaish-e-Adl militant group, Ismail Shah Baksh along with some of his associates, within the territory of Pakistan as per an Iranian news agency, though there is no official confirmation from either Pakistan or Iran.
The reported development comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and Pakistan, marked by reciprocal airstrikes conducted by both nations.
Meanwhile sources have informed an Indian media agency that an incident occurred two days ago on the Iranian side involving narcotic dealers and smugglers. This incident took place on the border with Iranian territory.
The Jaish-e-Adl, established in 2012 is recognized as a terrorist entity by Iran. Operating predominantly in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, it is a Sunni extremist organization as reported by another news agency. The group has a history of launching attacks on Iranian security forces including a recent assault on the police station in Sistan-Baluchistan in December 2023, resulting in the death of at least eleven personnel.
Despite hostilities, diplomatic efforts were undertaken recently to alleviate tensions. Pakistan and Iran agreed to enhance security cooperation, following a series of mutual airstrikes targeting terrorist elements within each other’s territories. The accord was unveiled during a joint press briefing by Pakistan’s foreign minister Jalil Abbas Jilani and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian at the Foreign Office of Pakistan.
Jilani stressed on the potential for swift resolution of misunderstandings between the two nations, expressing commitment to combat terrorism and address mutual concerns. However, the recent confrontations contradict diplomatic overtures. The conflict between Iran and Pakistan intensified after both countries conducted missile strikes targeting purported terrorist units.
Iran launched missile and drone attacks, targeting Jaish-e-Adl bases, leading to casualties, including civilian deaths as claimed by Islamabad. In response, Pakistan withdrew its ambassador from Iran and barred the return of the Iranian envoy to protest the perceived infringement of its sovereignty.
Pakistan also reiterated with strikes inside Iran, targeting hideouts used by militant organizations such as the Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Baluchistan Liberation Front (BLF). Despite the escalation, efforts were made to de-escalate tensions.
Both countries agreed to reinstate their diplomats (Ambassadors) and committed collaborative measures for de-escalation as reported by a popular Pakistani news media agency and channel.
