Pakistan Retaliates, Kills “Terrorists” In Airstrike In Iran

In response to Iran’s lethal drone and missile strike in Balochistan, Pakistan killed several “terrorists” on Thursday by conducting airstrikes on militant targets inside Iranian territory. The attacks took place one day after Iran acknowledged attacking the province of Balochistan, which led Islamabad to declare its right to retaliate against what it described as an “illegal act.”

“This morning Pakistan undertook a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts in Siestan-o-Baluchistan province of Iran. A number of terrorists were killed during the intelligence-based operation – codenamed ‘Marg Bar Sarmachar’,” according to an official statement.

A string of explosions shook the city of Saravan in southeast Iran on Thursday, according to the deputy governor general of the unrest-plagued Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran, which borders Pakistan.

Iranian authorities called Pakistan’s charge d’affaires in Tehran, Muhammad Hafeez, to protest Pakistan’s airstrike on Iranian territory as tensions grew.

The strikes were directed at Baloch militants operating within Iran. The intelligence official went on, “The targeted militants belong to BLF,” alluding to the group that fights for the independence of Pakistan’s Balochistan province.

Following Pakistan’s announcement of strikes in Iran, Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, the country’s acting prime minister, will shorten his stay at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the government said.