Explained: Who are Jaish al-Adl group that was attacked by Iran in Pak; what is the Kulbhushan Jadhav link?
Pakistan's Jaish al-Adl group was attacked by Iran on Tuesday night through missiles. The attack came just 24 hours after Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar's Tehran visit. Jaish al-Adl has a history with New Delhi for its previous antics.
FollowIran conducted strikes against the Jaish al-Adl group in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Tuesday night. The missiles launched from Iran reportedly killed two children and injured many in the border region. The Iranian regime has been a ferocious opponent of the Jaish al-Adl group which also has a Kulbhushan Jadhav connection.
The Jaish al-Adl group has been in the news ever since the Tuesday strikes. The Middle Eastern region is witnessing one of the most unsettling periods due to the ongoing conflicts. The Israel-Hamas war and the Red Sea blockade by Houthis have contributed to the turbulence in the region. With Iran's strikes inside Pakistan territories, the region is marred with another conflict.
The Jaish al-Adl group, also known as the ‘Army of Justice’ in the local language, was formed in 2012 after the fall of Jundallah, a previous Sunni militant group. The terror group's main motto is to usher jihad and achieve independence for Sistan (Iran) and the Baluchistan province of Pakistan. Salahoodin Farooqi and his deputy Mullah Omar head the group from Balochistan.
Jaish al-Adl group is actively involved with Al-Qaeda's Pakistan faction. It also has close ties with Ansar Al-Furqan, an Iranian Baloch Sunni militant group operating from Iran. The fighters of the Jaish al-Adl group are highly trained in the hilly terrains and are combat-ready. The group is known for its innovative tactics and robust logistic system.
Iran witnessed various killings of its government officials and soldiers at the hands of Jaish al-Adl. The Salahoodin Farooqi-headed group has claimed assassinations of military personnel and state officials in Iran. The group was involved in last month's attack on a police station in Sistan killing 11 Iranian police officers. Iran, New Zealand, the US, and Japan have designated them as a terrorist organization.
Kulbhushan Jadhav Connection
In 2016, India’s Kulbhushan Jadhav was abducted by unknown men from Iran. The militants behind Kulbhushan Jadhav’s abduction were from the Jaish al-Adl group. The terror group planned the abduction of the Indian businessman and handed over him to the ISI for monetary transaction.
Pakistan then presented a fabricated case of Kulbhushan Jadhav being an ex-Indian Navy officer and a spy operating in Iran against Pakistan. The case has led to further strain in the India-Pakistan diplomatic ties. Kulbhushan Jadhav is believed to have been given a death sentence or a life sentence in Jail by Pakistan’s court.
