Six Killed in Attack on Police Station in Iran

Iranian state television reported today, Saturday, that "two police officers and four attackers were killed when armed militants and suicide bombers targeted a police station in a troubled area in southeastern Iran." It added, "All four terrorists and several police officers died during the raid." The attack occurred in Zahedan, the capital of Sistan and Baluchestan province, which has seen some of the deadliest protests. The armed group Jaish al-Adl, active in the region, claimed responsibility for the attack on Saturday in a social media post, stating it was a response to the killing of protesters by security forces on September 30, 2022. The state television reported that "all four terrorists" died during the raid. Amnesty International stated that security forces killed at least 66 people during the crackdown on protesters on September 30, 2022. Authorities dismissed the police chief of Zahedan and the commander of one of the city's police stations following the incident, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sent a delegation to negotiate with Sunni clerics from Baluchistan who criticized the government. Public anger in Zahedan had escalated in the days leading up to the crackdown after allegations circulated on social media regarding a police officer raping a girl from the city.