Iranian forces eliminate senior Jaish Al-Adl commander

Shafaq News/ Iranian security forces killed a senior commander of the Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice) during a counterterrorism raid early Friday in the restive southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan.

According to the Iranian Tasnim News Agency, units from the Quds Headquarters launched a pre-dawn operation in the Korin district of Zahedan, targeting Vali Mohammad Shahbakhsh, a prominent figure linked to deadly attacks carried out in 2023.

The raid, part of the ongoing “Martyrs of Security” campaign, also led to several arrests and the seizure of weapons and ammunition.

One member of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force, identified as Es’haq Mokhtari, was killed during the operation.

Tehran classifies Jaish al-Adl—also known as Jaish al-Zolm—as a terrorist organization. The group, which operates from Pakistan's Balochistan province, has claimed responsibility for multiple attacks on Iranian security forces in recent years.

Founded in 2012 by former members of the disbanded Jundallah group, Jaish al-Adl positions itself as a defender of the Sunni Baluch minority in Iran’s southeastern border regions. Its stated aim includes greater autonomy and rights for the Baluch population, which numbers between 4 and 5 million in Iran, mostly concentrated in Sistan and Baluchestan.