By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Iran launched a series of attacks on Pakistani territory on Tuesday, killing two children and injuring three others, in what Islamabad denounced as a “blatant violation” of its sovereignty and warned of “serious consequences.”
The Iranian strikes, which used missiles and drones, targeted alleged bases of a Sunni militant group, Jaish Al-Adl, that operates in the border region of Balochistan, according to Iranian state media. The group has claimed responsibility for several attacks on Iranian security forces in recent years.
Jaish al Adl, which means Army of Justice in Arabic, is a splinter faction of Jundallah, a Sunni extremist group that has carried out several attacks on Iranian security forces and civilians in the past, mainly in Sistan-Baluchestan.
The province is home to a large ethnic Baloch population, which has long complained of discrimination and marginalization by the Shiite-dominated Iranian state. The two countries share a 959-kilometer border, which is often porous and insecure. The border region has witnessed frequent clashes and violence between militants and security forces on both sides.
The Iranian media said the bases were hit and destroyed.
But Pakistan said the Iranian attacks hit civilian areas and caused casualties among innocent people. A statement from the foreign office said Pakistan strongly condemned the “unprovoked violation” of its airspace by Iran and called it “completely unacceptable.”
“Pakistan strongly condemns the unprovoked violation of its airspace by Iran which resulted in the deaths of two innocent children while injuring three girls,” the foreign office’s statement said.
“This violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty is completely unacceptable and can have serious consequences.”
Pakistan said its airspace had been violated despite several channels of communication existing between the two countries.
“Pakistan has always said terrorism is a common threat to all countries in the region that requires coordinated action. Such unilateral acts are not in conformity with good neighborly relations and can seriously undermine bilateral trust and confidence,” the statement said.
Islamabad said it has launched a “strong protest” with a senior official in the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran.
“Additionally, the Iranian Charge d’affaires has been called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to convey our strongest condemnation of this blatant violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty,” it said, adding that the responsibility for the consequences “will lie squarely with Iran.”
“Such unilateral acts are not in conformity with good neighborly relations and can seriously undermine bilateral trust and confidence.”
The attack follows Iranian strikes on Iraq and Syria less than a day earlier, as Tehran reacted following a dual suicide bombing this month that killed over 90 people. The attack was claimed by the militant group Daesh.
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