Jaish ul-Adl

Jaish ul-Adl, or Jaish al-Adl (Arabic: جيش‌ العدل‎, lit. 'Army of Justice'; Balochi: جئیش الئدل‎), is a Salafi jihadist militant organization that operates mainly in southeastern Iran, where there is a substantial concentration of Sunni Baluchis and a porous border with Pakistan.[2][3][7] The group is responsible for several attacks against civilians and military personnel in Iran.[5] The group claims that it is a separatist group fighting for independence of Sistan and Baluchistan Province and greater rights for Baluch people.[8][9][4] Iran believes that the group is linked to Al-Qaeda.[10] The group also maintain ties with Ansar Al-Furqan which is another Iranian Baloch Sunni armed group operating in Iran.[11]

Jaish ul-Adl
Jaish ul-Adl logo
Leader	Salahuddin Farooqui[1]
Foundation	2012[1]
Motives	Independence of Sistan and Baluchestan Province
Active regions	Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran[2][3]
Ideology	Salafi jihadism anti-Islamic Republic of Iran Baloch Nationalism[4]
Major actions	Attacks against Iranian civilians, government and security officials.[2]
Notable attacks	2019 Khash–Zahedan suicide bombing
Status	Active. Designated as terrorist organisation by:  Iran[5]  Japan[6]  New Zealand  United States[2]
Size	500[1]
Flag

The group was founded in 2012 by members of Jundallah, a Sunni extremist militant group that had been weakened following Iran's capture and execution of its leader, Abdolmalek Rigi, in 2010. Its first major attack occurred in October 2013.[12][7] Jaish ul-Adl is a designated terrorist organization by Iran,[5] Japan,[6] New Zealand[13] and the United States.[2]

Iranian state media has alleged that Saudi Arabia and the United States are key backers of the group.[14]

In November 2020, one of Jaish ul-Adl leaders called Mullah Omar, known as Omar Shahozi, and his two sons were killed in clashes with Pakistani forces in Turbat, Balochistan region.[15]

On 30 January 2021, Iran hanged Javid Dehghan, the former leader of Jaish ul-Adl, for the murder of two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members in Sistan and Baluchestan Province.[16]

Attacks

On 25 October 2013, the group claimed responsibility for killing 14 Iranian border guards in the city of Saravan. The group claimed that the attack was in retaliation of 16 Iranian Baloch prisoners who were on death row. The prisoners were convicted of drug trafficking and extremism. As result of the attack, Iranian officials hanged 16 prisoners on 26 October 2013.[12]

On April 26, 2017, the group claimed responsibility for an ambush that killed at least nine Iranian border guards and injured two others. The Iranian border guards were patrolling the Pakistan–Iran border when they were attacked.[17]

In December 2018, the group took responsibility for suicide bombing in port city of Chabahar, killing two police officers and wounded forty-two others.[18]

On 29 January 2019, the group took responsibility for double bombing in Zahedan which wounded three police officers.[18]

On 2 February 2019, Jaish Al-Adl claimed responsibility for the attack on Basij paramilitary base in south eastern Iran according to Tasnim News Agency. The attack left one paramilitary soldier dead and wounded five other.[19][18]

On February 13, 2019, a suicide bombing in Iran targeting a bus carrying IRGC personnel killed 27 people.[20]

References

1. "Iran Blames US, Israel for Suicide Attack on IRGC". Israel Defense. 17 February 2019.
2. "US Re-Designates Iran Separatist Sunni Militant Group As 'Terrorist'". Radio Farda. 3 July 2019. The group, Jaysh al-Adl operates mainly in southeastern Iran, where there is a substantial concentration of Sunni Baluchis and a porous border with Pakistan.......In its official statement the Department says, “Jundallah, which was designated as an FTO and SDGT in 2010, began using the new name Jaysh al-Adl and associated aliases in 2012. Since its inception, the group has engaged in numerous attacks that have killed scores of Iranian civilians and government officials, including a February 2019 suicide bombing and the October 2018 kidnapping of Iranian security personnel.”
3. "Iran Spotlight: Sunni Insurgents Jaish ul-Adl Warn Tehran To End "Crimes Against Oppressed Peoples Of Iran, Syria"". EA Worldview. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
4. "Suicide Attack Kills 27 Members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards". Haaretz. 13 February 2019.
5. "Sunni Group Takes Credit for Attack That Killed 14 Iranians". Al-Monitor. 27 October 2013. Archived from the original on 20 October 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
6. "ジャイシュ・アル・アドル(JAA) - 国際テロリズム要覧（Web版） - 公安調査庁". moj.go.jp. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
7. "Extremist group claims responsibility for abduction of Iranian troops". Kurdistan24. 22 October 2018.
8. "Border Insecurity in Iran Amid Regime Crackdown on Minorities". Voice of America. 16 October 2018.
9. "At least 14 Iranian guards kidnapped near Pakistan border: Iranian media". Samaa Tv. 16 October 2018.
10. "Suicide attack kills 20 Iranian Revolutionary Guards". Financial Times. 14 February 2019.
11. "Iran Says Two 'Terrorists' Killed And Five Arrested". Radio Farda. 15 June 2017.
12. "Violence Returns To Iran's Sistan-Baluchistan Province". Radio Farda. 7 November 2013.
13. "Lists associated with Resolution 1373". New Zealand Police.
14. "Baluch Insurgents in Iran". The Iran Primer. 5 April 2017.
15. "'کشته شدن رهبر جیش العدل' در درگیری با نیروهای پاکستان یک هفته پس از سفر ظریف". BBC (in Persian). 18 November 2020.
16. "Iran hangs Baluch militant for killing of two Revolutionary Guards, judiciary says". Reuters. 30 January 2021.
17. "Pakistan condemns terrorist attack against Iranian border guards". Islamic Republic News Agency. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
18. "Casualties reported in attack on Basij base in Iran". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2 February 2019.
19. "1 Killed, 5 Wounded in Attack on Basij Base in Southeast Iran". Al-Awsat. 2 February 2019.
20. "TRAC Incident Report: Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice) Suicide VBIED (Truck Bomb) Targets Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) Transportation Bus Chanali Area of Khash-Zahedan road, Zahedan, Sistan-Balochistan Province, Iran- 13 February 2019 | Chatter Control | TRAC". www.trackingterrorism.org. Retrieved 2019-07-04.