Armed clashes reported in Iran’s volatile south-east province

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Sep. 08 – Agents of Iran’s State Security Force (SSF) have killed a rebel during armed clashes with “bandits” in the volatile province of Sistan-va-Baluchistan, southeast Iran. Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Sep. 08 – Agents of Iran’s State Security Force (SSF) have killed a rebel during armed clashes with “bandits” in the volatile province of Sistan-va-Baluchistan, southeast Iran.

The semi-official daily Jomhouri Islami quoted on Thursday local SSF spokesman Colonel Mohammad Arab as saying that the rebel was killed by SSF commando units from the Fat’h Garrison during fighting with an armed group.

It said that the incident occurred in the town of Iran-Shahr and that the unnamed individual had been armed with a Kalashnikov rifle and ammunition.

Authorities routinely refer to anti-government activists as “bandits” and “trouble-makers”.

Iran has witnessed escalating unrest in recent months in areas populated by Baluchis, who complain of discriminatory and repressive policies by the theocratic regime.