Following its targeting in Pakistan by Iran, the Jaish al-Adl group, which originated inside Iran and expanded as an opposition group, has come back into the spotlight. So, what is it about?
"Jaish al-Adl" is an Islamic Sunni opposition organization in Sistan and Balochistan, Iran. It began its activities after the execution of the leader of the Baloch militant group Jundallah, Abdul Malik Rigi, who was arrested while attempting to travel to Kyrgyzstan by forcing the plane he was on to land in Bandar Abbas in southern Iran. The organization is classified as terrorist by Iran, India, and Japan. Jaish al-Adl claims that it "fights Iranian forces to restore the rights of Sunni Muslims in the country and accuses Iranian authorities of implementing sectarian revolutionary plans in the region and other areas inhabited by Sunni Muslims."
**Leader**
The leader of Jaish al-Adl is Abdul Rahim Malazadeh, who issues statements under the name "Salah al-Din Farooqi," the Emir of Jaish al-Adl. He was born in 1979 in the city of Rask in Balochistan and is considered one of the prominent resistance leaders in Balochistan.
**Objectives**
According to their statements, Jaish al-Adl aims to:
- Raise the banner of monotheism and eliminate all forms of what they describe as polytheism from all Baloch territory in western Balochistan, Iran.
- Strike and weaken the Iranian military apparatus throughout Balochistan, confusing the Iranian system and engaging it internally.
- Defend Sunnis around the world.
- Restore the rights of the Baloch that have been taken from Tehran’s authorities: citizenship rights, land rights, dignity, human rights, the country’s wealth that has been usurped, and the hunger of the people (as claimed by them).
**Attacks**
On October 25, 2013, the group claimed responsibility for the killing of 14 Iranian border guards in the city of Saravan. The group alleged that the attack was a response to the execution of 16 Iranian Baloch prisoners who were convicted of drug trafficking and extremism. As a result of the attack, Iranian officials executed 16 prisoners in the same year.
On April 26, 2017, the group claimed responsibility for an ambush that resulted in the deaths of at least nine Iranian border guards and injuries to two others. The Iranian border guards were patrolling the Iran-Pakistan border when they were attacked.
In December 2018, the group took responsibility for a suicide bombing in the coastal city of Chabahar, resulting in the deaths of two police officers and injuries to 42 others.
On January 29, 2019, the group claimed responsibility for a double bombing in Zahedan, which injured three police officers.
On February 2, 2019, Jaish al-Adl announced responsibility for an attack on a Basij paramilitary base in southeastern Iran, according to Tasnim news agency. The attack resulted in the death of one paramilitary soldier and injuries to five others.
On February 13, 2019, a suicide bombing in Iran targeted a bus carrying members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, resulting in the deaths of 27 individuals.
