Insurgency in Sistan and Balochistan

Insurgency in Sistan and Balochistan

Part of the larger insurgency in Balochistan

Map of Iran with Sistan and Balochistan province highlighted

Date	2004 – present (22 years)
Location	Sistan and Balochistan province, Iran
Status	Ongoing

Belligerents

Islamic Republic of Iran
Supported By:
Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Baloch separatists
Baloch Islamists

Commanders and leaders

Ali Khamenei (2004-2026)
Ali Shamkhani (2004–2005)
Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar (2005–2013)
Ahmad Vahidi (2013–present)
Hossein Dehghan (2013–2017)
Amir Hatami (2017–2021)
Mohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani (2021–2024)
Aziz Nasirzadeh (2024-present)
Abdolvahed Mousavi Lari (2004–2005)
Mostafa Pourmohammadi (2005–2008)
Seyyed Mehdi Hashemi (15 May 2008–5 August 2008)
Ali Kordan (12 August 2008–4 November 2008)
Kamran Daneshjoo (4 November 2008–24 December 2008)
Sadegh Mahsouli (2008–2009)
Hassan Firouzabadi (2004–2016)
Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli (2013–present)
Hassan Firouzabadi (2004–2016)
Mohammad Salimi (2004–2005)
Ataollah Salehi (2005–2017)
Abdolrahim Mousavi (2017–present)
Nasser Mohammadifar (2004–2005)
Mohammad-Hossein Dadras (2005–2008)
Ahmad Reza Pourdastan (2008–2016)
Kioumars Heydari (2016–present)
Yahya Rahim Safavi (2004–2007)
Mohammad Ali Jafari (2004–2019)
Ahmad Kazemi (2005–2006)
Mohammad Reza Zahedi (2006–2008)
Mohammad Jafar Asadi (2008–20)
Mohammad Pakpour (2009–present)
Nur-Ali Shushtari (2004–2009) †
Esmail Ahmadi Moghaddam (2004–2016)
Hossein Ashtari (2016–2023)
Ahmad-Reza Radan (2023–present)

Abdolmalek Rigi (2004–2009)
Abdolhamid Rigi (2009–2010)
Muhammad Zahir Baloch (2010–present)
Salahuddin Farooqui (2011–2024) †
Mohammad Shafi (2012–2013) †
Abu Hafs al Baloochi (2013–2015) †
Jalil Qanbarzehi (2015–2017) †
Mahmood Baloch
Mullah Akram Naroi †
Abdul Rauf Rigi X

Units involved

Current:
- People's Fighters Front (2025–present)
  - Jaish ul-Adl (2013–present)
  - Nasr Movement (2010–present)
  - Pada Baloch Movement (2017–present)
  - Mohammad Rasul Allah Group (1970s–present)
- Ansar Al-Furqan (2013–present)
Former:
- Jundallah (2004–2011)
- Harakat Ansar (2012–2013)
- Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (1996–2024)

Strength

Unknown

Jaish ul-Adl: 500–600
Jundallah: 500–2,000 (until 2011)

Casualties and losses

164 killed (security forces and civilians)

Unknown

Sistan and Baluchestan insurgency
Zahedan (2007) Zahedan (2009) Pishin (2009) Arrest of Abdolmalek Rigi Zahedan (2010) Chabahar (2010) Chabahar (2018) Khash–Zahedan (2019) 2024 Iranian missile strikes in Pakistan Chabahar and Rask (2024) Gohar Kuh (2024)

The insurgency in Sistan and Balochistan is an ongoing low-intensity asymmetric conflict in the Sistan and Balochistan province of Iran, undertaken by several Sunni Baloch militant organizations. These groups have been designated as terrorist organizations by the Iranian government. It began in 2004 and is part of the wider insurgency in the Balochistan region.