Iranian guards fire mortar shells into Pakistan

Three mortars land in an empty area of Mashkel in Balochistan’s Washuk district.

QUETTA: Crossing into Pakistan, Iranian border guards on Sunday fired three mortar shells in the Mashkel area of Washuk district of the restive Balochistan province.

Washuk Deputy Commissioner Salahuddin Norzai confirmed the incident. “Three mortars landed inside Pakistan and exploded in an empty area of Mashkil. However, no loss of life was reported,” Norzai said.

According to local witnesses, back-to-back explosions occurred in Aho Go area of Mashkel.



It was not the first incident of border violation along the country’s southwestern frontiers as the Iranian forces have fired shells into Pakistani territory in Panjgur, Mand, Awaran and Chagai areas on several occasion in the recent years.

Islamabad has raised the issue with Tehran many times but the Iranian government has categorically said that it will target terrorists disturbing Iranian peace whether they are operating from Iran or Pakistan.

In February 2014, Iran alleged that five of its soldiers were abducted from its soil and taken across the border into Pakistan.



An insurgent group, Jaishul Adl, had claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.  Later, an Iranian official claimed that the soldiers were freed inside Pakistan.

Iran’s Sistan-Balochestan province has been a scene of sectarian unrest in recent years.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2015.