Militants abduct 14 Iran border guards

Iranian media say militants have abducted 14 members of a border security force near the Pakistan border.

The reports quote an unnamed but informed source as saying two of abducted are members of the powerful Revolutionary Guard’s intelligence department. The rest include seven members of the Basij, a volunteer wing of the Guard, as well as regular Iranian border guards.

The abduction took place under the cover of darkness, before dawn yesterday, near the Loukdan border crossing point in southeastern Sistan and Balochistan province.

The area has seen occasional clashes between Iranian forces and Baloch separatists, as well as drug traffickers.

In September, militants disguised as soldiers opened fire on a military parade in Iran’s oil-rich southwest, killing 24 people and wounding over 60.

“We expect Pakistan to confront these terrorist groups that are supported by some regional states, and immediately release the kidnapped Iranian forces,” the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement.