New Delhi: Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force has this week announced the release of two Iranian border guards, who were abducted by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish al-Adl over two years ago.
The release of the guards, according to a statement by the IRGC, took place after a successful intelligence operation Tuesday night.
Following the IRGC’s statement, the terror group claimed that four members of the outfit arrested by the force have also been released.
Following the #IRGC's announcement of rescuing 2 Iranian border guards, Jaish Al-Adl announces release of 4 #Sunni prisoners Abdur-Rahman Sangani, Abu Bakr Rostami, Shirah Ahmad Shirani and Saber Malek Raisi. pic.twitter.com/HmuWfgy5SL
— SAMRIReports2 (@SReports2) February 4, 2021
While the nature of the operation is not known, some media reports claimed that it was a “surgical strike” inside Pakistan, even though the IRGC reportedly claimed that it took place in the Sistan Baluchistan province of Iran.
While Pakistan has remained silent about the operation, sources in the country told ThePrint the operation probably involved a swap, which was possible because of the joint intelligence working group of Pakistan and Iran.
The release happened after negotiations, the sources said.
The group handed over the two border guards at Mashkail, a town bordering Pakistan-Iran, the sources said, adding that it is pertinent to mention that the IRGC has claimed they secured the release of the border guards after conducting a successful operation in Sistan Baluchistan province.
The Pakistan-based terrorist group had kidnapped 12 IRGC guards in October 2018 from Mirjawa near the Pakistan-Iran border. While five soldiers were released after a month of their abduction, four were released in March 2019.
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‘Swapping happened between Iran & Jaish Al-Adl’
According to a diplomatic source, Islamabad was not “directly” involved in the operation as it was carried out in Iran on a group operating inside their territory.
However, the source said, the possibility of a swapping between warring parties cannot be ruled out.
“The swapping must have happened between Iran and Jaish Al-Adl. The US and Taliban have a history of this too,” the source added.
Jaish Al-Adl, a jihadist militant organisation, operates mainly in southeastern Iran at the Pakistan border, where there is a substantial concentration of Sunni Baluchis.
The group had earlier been responsible for several attacks against civilians and military personnel in Iran. It has been declared a terrorist organisation by Iran.
The group was founded in 2012 by militant leader Salahuddin Farooqui, who is known to be opposed to Iran’s support for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria’s civil war.
(With inputs by Snehesh Alex Philip and Nayanima Basu)
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