A coalition of armed rebel groups, known as the People's Fighters Front, has launched a series of attacks against Iranian regime forces in the southeastern provinces of Sistan and Baluchistan and Kerman.
What happened
The attacks, which have been ongoing since March, have resulted in at least 94 people dead and 33 injured, according to the Human Rights Activist News Agency. The rebel groups have targeted mid-level regime officials and security personnel, including the assassination of a female Basij commander and a police officer.
The Iranian regime has responded with force, but the rebel groups have continued to carry out attacks, including a roadside bomb that killed a deputy for Cultural and Social Affairs of the Provincial Law Enforcement Command. The unrest has raised concerns about the regime's ability to maintain control over the region.
Experts say that while the rebel groups lack the capacity to confront the regime in conventional warfare, they can inflict significant psychological blows through guerrilla operations. The coalition's statements have emphasized their goal of dismantling the system of Velayat-e Faqih and liberating the country from oppression, rather than seeking separatism.
The situation remains volatile, with periodic cycles of unrest in the region. The Iranian regime has elevated a former governor of the province to commander of the IRGC's Ground Forces, highlighting the sensitive security situation in the country.
