South Front
The main areas of conflict between the Iran’s border guards and Taliban on the border of Makaki and Sasuli villages in Sistan and Baluchistan province.
Militants affiliated to Afghanistan’s Taliban caretaker government and Iran’s border guards fought on the outskirts of some villages in eastern areas of the city of Zabol in Sistan and Baluchestan Province of Iran and exchanged fire. LINK
According to local sources in the border areas of Zabol, the capital city of Sistan and Baluchestan Province, some Taliban militants and a number of Iranian border guards started armed clashes on the outskirts of Makaki, Sasuli and Haatam villages, which are located east of Zabol city from noon today (May 27) and the two sides exchanged fire.
As a result of these clashes, an Iranian border guard lost his live and at least two Taliban militants were also killed and several others were wounded.
At present, the conflict ended after artillery fire and exchange of gun fire, and border officials on both sides are investigating the differences, while the reason behind the clash has not been determined so far.
Taliban militants had previously prevented Iranian machineries from constructing border walls and it seems that the today clash had its roots in such disputes.
Local sources in Afghanistan’s Nimruz Province claim that Iran has launched artillery attacks on the airport and residential areas in northern villages of southwestern city of Zaranj, but the Iranian authorities ruled out the allegations and emphasize that Iranians’ artillery targeted Taliban forces’ positions.
The released video of Taliban attack on Iranian forces in the border area:
Despite numerous reports from Taliban-affiliated media outlets on Iran’s missile attacks on Zaranj city in the center of Nimruz province as well as Afghanistan’s border villages, there have not been released any report or image of the alleged missile attack to show the consequences of the so-called Iranian missile strike on the areas; so, the propaganda campaign is completely unfounded. Furthermore, news stories on the Taliban’s advances in Iranian territory are not based on facts on the ground.
Following today’s border clash in eastern Zabol, Commander-in-Chief of the Police Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Major General Ahmadreza Radan ordered the border guards stationed in the mentioned border area to bravely and decisively defend the borders and to not allow anyone to violate or approach the borderline. His order also emphasizes that the border forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will decisively respond to any border violation or aggression, and the current rulers of Afghanistan must be held accountable for their miscalculation, which is contrary to international principles.
Also, after today’s attack on the border areas east of Zabol, the Abrisham bridge, the only connection between Zaranj city and Iran, was closed. Milak-Zaranj crossing is the busiest border terminal between Iran and Afghanistan and has a high impact on the volume of trades between Iran and Afghanistan in the south of this country.
Abrisham bridge, the only connection between Zaranj city and Iran
The Iran-Taliban border conflict is an issue that has become a typical incident after the Taliban group took control of the Afghan government in August 2021 and such clashes have repeatedly occurred on the borderlines between Iran and its neighbors such as Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The Taliban militants’ lack of know-how on laws and regulations concerning international borderlines has led to increased insecurity, smuggling and terrorist activities in Afghanistan’s joint border areas with Iran.
Exchange of artillery fire between Iranian border guards and Taliban militants:
