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Pakistan Launches Retaliatory Strikes on Separatist Militants Inside Iran

In response to an attack by Iran on Pakistani territory, Pakistan has launched strikes on separatist militants within Iran. The cross-border strikes took place in the Sistan-Baluchestan province, which borders Pakistan. According to Iranian media, at least nine people were killed, including four children, when several missiles hit a village in the province. These strikes come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Both Pakistan and Iran have expressed a desire to contain the situation. Iran’s foreign ministry stated that it is committed to maintaining good relations with Pakistan but urged Islamabad to prevent the establishment of terrorist bases on its soil. Pakistan issued a similar statement, emphasizing its commitment to its own security and national interests.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry described the strikes as a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted military operations against terrorist hideouts. The ministry stated that a number of terrorists were killed in the intelligence-based operation. In response to the strikes, Iran strongly condemned Pakistan and summoned Pakistan’s charge d’affaires in Iran to provide an explanation.

Pakistan has accused Iran of violating its sovereignty and recalled its ambassador from Iran in protest. The targets of Iran’s strikes were alleged to be bases of the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) and the associated Baloch Liberation Army. Iran’s strikes on Pakistani territory earlier this week targeted what it claimed were bases of Jaish al Adl (JAA), another ethnically Baloch group. The relationship between JAA, BLF, and Balochistan Liberation Army is unclear.

These cross-border incidents come as Iran and its allies have been displaying their strength in the region. Iran has conducted strikes in Syria and Iraq, claiming to target Islamic State sites and an Israeli espionage center, respectively. The Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen has also targeted shipping in the Red Sea.

Pakistan and Iran had been working to improve their relations, with their foreign ministers meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos. However, analysts have highlighted the potential for further escalation. Asfandyar Mir, an expert on South Asia security, suggests that Pakistan’s strikes inside Iranian territory could provoke a response from Iran, which has been cautious not to breach this threshold even with the U.S. and Israel.

In light of these developments, Russia and Turkey have called for restraint and diplomacy to resolve the differences between Pakistan and Iran. The targeted militant groups operate in Pakistan’s Balochistan province and Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province. Both areas are rich in minerals and beset by unrest.

Source: [Reuters](https://www.fbcnews.com.fj){:target=”_blank”}