Six killed in attack on court building in south-east Iran
Twenty-two other people were injured, it said, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Ground Forces.
The attack was carried out by unknown gunmen, the judiciary's Mizan Online outlet said.
The armed assailants opened fire inside the building in Azadi Street in Zahedan, the semi-official Tasnim news agency said.
"The condition of a number of the injured has been declared critical," Irna reported.
State media referred to the assailants as "terrorists" and said they were carrying explosive vests. The attackers were killed during the incident, Irna added.
The Baloch militant group Jaish Al Adl claimed responsibility for the attack, Tasnim reported.
Jaish Al Adl wants independence for Iran 's eastern Sistan and Pakistan's south-western Balochistan provinces.
The Sistan-Baluchestan province, bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan, has been the site of occasional deadly clashes involving militant groups, armed drug smugglers and Iranian security forces.
In October, an attack on an Iranian police convoy in the province killed at least 10 officers.
The head of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Dr Mohammad Hassan Mohammadi, said emergency services responded to the incident and carried out "diagnostic and surgical procedures" on the wounded.
Visitors were evacuated, Tasnim reported.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
4 hours ago
- Zawya
Ceasefire in doubt as Rwanda-backed rebels kill hundreds in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Hopes for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have been shaken by a surge in brutal attacks on civilians by armed groups, including the Rwandan-backed M23 militia, in the country's troubled eastern region. The UN human rights office (OHCHR) said it had received first-hand accounts indicating that at least 319 civilians were killed by M23 fighters, aided by members of the Rwanda Defence Force, between 9 and 21 July in North Kivu province. Most of the victims, including at least 48 women and 19 children, were local farmers camping in their fields during the planting season. Stop attacks immediately Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned the 'surge of deadly violence'. 'I am appalled by the attacks on civilians by the M23 and other armed groups in eastern DRC amid continued fighting, despite the ceasefire that was recently signed in Doha,' he said in a news release on Wednesday. 'All attacks against civilians must stop immediately and all those responsible must be held to account.' The latest massacre marks one of the highest civilian death tolls documented since the M23 – a group largely composed of Congolese Tutsi fighters established over 15 years ago – re-emerged as a major military threat in 2022. Peace agreement faltering The spike in violence comes just weeks after two high-level peace initiatives appeared to offer a path forward. On 27 June, Rwanda and the DRC signed a bilateral peace agreement in Washington, followed by the so-called Doha Declaration between the DRC Government and M23 rebel leaders on 19 July, which committed both sides to a ceasefire and further negotiations. However, humanitarian NGOs say little has changed on the ground. 'I urge the signatories and facilitators of both the Doha and Washington agreements to ensure that they rapidly translate into safety, security and real progress for civilians,' Mr. Türk said. Attacks from all sides Meanwhile, other armed groups continue to terrorise civilians across eastern Congo. In July alone, the UN documented deadly attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), Coopérative pour le développement du Congo (CODECO) and Raia Mutomboki/Wazalendo militias in Ituri, South Kivu and North Kivu. On 27 July, ADF fighters attacked a Christian congregation in Ituri's Komanda village, killing at least 40 worshippers – including 13 children – and torching homes, shops and vehicles. Earlier in the month the same group killed at least 70 civilians in a single attack on Pikamaibo village. Women and girls are also enduring systematic sexual violence as a weapon of war. On 27 July, eight women were raped by Raia Mutomboki/Wazalendo fighters in South Kivu's Busolo village. Worsening humanitarian crisis The growing insecurity is fuelling what humanitarians describe as one of the world's most acute humanitarian crises. According to UN figures, over 7.8 million people are now internally displaced (IDPs) in eastern DRC – the highest figure on record – while 28 million people are facing food insecurity, including nearly four million at emergency levels. Adding to the strain, more than 30,000 refugees from South Sudan have fled into Ituri province since April, escaping a wave of killings and active hostilities across Central Equatoria State. The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that funding shortfalls may soon force it to suspend lifesaving assistance to hundreds of thousands. Health services are also collapsing under pressure. In the first half of 2025, 33 attacks were recorded on health workers and facilities – a 276 per cent increase from the previous six months, according to the UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.
The National
5 hours ago
- The National
Palestine Action claims 200 arrested supporters have not been charged
None of the 200 demonstrators arrested in the UK for supporting Palestine Action in recent weeks have been charged, campaigners have claimed, as they sought support for a protest on Saturday. The direct action protest group was designated a terrorist organisation in July after it claimed to be behind millions of pounds worth of damage at a Royal Air Force base. The High Court has agreed to review the decision in November. Until then, the ban means that membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, under the Terrorism Act 2000. But Tim Crosland, a spokesman for the campaign group Defend Our Juries, said the group believes potential legal claims against police should proscription be deemed unlawful lay behind the lack of prosecutions. 'Nobody has been charged. It's important to say, and there's a sense that there aren't going to be any charges till the other side of the judicial review,' Mr Crosland said at a press briefing on Wednesday. More than 500 people have committed to holding a sign saying 'I Support Palestine Action' in Central London on Saturday, he said. Mr Crosland, who is organising the protest alongside Palestine Action's co-founder Huda Ammori, said they had received advice from solicitors that those arrested would be able to make legal claims against the police for 'unlawful arrest' if the proscription order is eventually struck down. 'We've specifically asked them: if the order is struck down in November, does that open up the possibility for legal claims against the police for unlawful arrest and for trespass to people's property? And the answer to that was yes,' Mr Crosland said. Ms Ammori said she was hopeful the decision would be overturned by then, but acknowledged there was a 'substantial risk' in showing support for the group. 'Obviously there is a substantial risk, but you know, we do hope to be successful in this legal challenge,' she said. The British activist, of Palestinian and Iraqi heritage, sought an injunction to delay the proscription in early July, which was denied by the High Court. Last week, she was granted her bid to challenge the ban, though the terrorism designation will remain in place until then. Further demonstrations are being planned for the coming months until the High Court ruling. 'If arresting and prosecuting more than 500 people is an absurd waste of public resources, that's not on us. We're not the ones who made this law. We're not the ones doing the arresting. We will keep going as long as people keep wanting to take part in this action,' Mr Crosland said. The proscription has caused outcry, particularly from veteran campaigners who say that direct action has a long history in British politics, going all the way back to the Suffragettes. Among those arrested was 83-year-old priest Sue Parfitt and an 81-year-old former magistrate. Angie Zelter, a veteran peace protestor, said there was visible 'discomfort' among the police making arrests at demonstrations supporting Palestine Action. 'There's a lot of discomfort amongst the police, because they are making a mockery of the definition of terrorism,' she said, adding that she plans to attend the demonstration on Saturday. Discussing the arrests, Mr Crosland said that in Derry, Edinburgh, Kendal and Chichester, police did not act. "It shows they can exercise common sense if they want to," he said. "In London, people have been arrested under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act, which is the lesser of the two possible charges, and somewhere between six and 12 hours after a police interview in the police cells, people have been arrested without charge. "In Cardiff, people were arrested under Section 12, which is an offence punishable with 14 years' imprisonment - doing exactly the same thing, holding the same sign, quietly sitting - they were held in police custody beyond the 24-hour maximum. The time was extended under the terrorism laws while those people's houses were raided." The Metropolitan Police have been contacted by The National over the claims it is holding back on bringing charges. However, it has warned it would arrest demonstrators on Saturday and suggested that they were attempting to put the UK's overcrowded criminal justice system under further pressure. 'We are aware that the organisers of Saturday's planned protest are encouraging hundreds of people to turn out with the intention of placing a strain on the police and the wider criminal justice system,' a representative of the force said. 'The Met is very experienced in dealing with large-scale protests, including where the protest activity crosses into criminality requiring arrests. Our officers will continue to apply the law in relation to Palestine Action as we have done since its proscription. Anyone showing support for the group can expect to be arrested.' The move to ban Palestine Action came after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, which police said caused about £7 million worth of damage. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action three days later, saying the vandalism of the planes was "disgraceful" and the group had a "long history of unacceptable criminal damage".
Zawya
5 hours ago
- Zawya
Fleeing conflict, facing crisis: South Sudanese refugees gather in Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
With violence intensifying in South Sudan, more than 33,000 refugees have fled to northern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In May, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams launched emergency activities to provide lifesaving medical care to a community facing crisis. 'We saw people shooting guns. Then we saw planes shooting people from the sky,' says Blessing Halima, a refugee from Morobo County, South Sudan, who recently fled to Adi, northern DRC, with her six children. 'They began killing people and stealing everything. They took my husband. That's why we ran.' Blessing Halima is not alone. In April, Atay Rose travelled for several days through the bush to reach Adi from Panyume, South Sudan. 'If we used the main road, we would have been killed. They rape young girls and even married women,' says Atay. 'I don't know if I can go back. There's still looting. There's still raping. There's still the killing of women and children. That's what we fear the most.' South Sudan is experiencing its most severe surge in violence since the signing of the peace agreement and end of its civil war in 2018. The crisis escalated in February, when clashes broke out between government forces and armed youths, known as the White Army, in the northeastern state of Upper Nile. The violence quickly spread to other parts of the country, incorporating armed groups in Central Equatoria state, which borders DRC to the south. There have been widespread civilian casualties throughout the country – with more than 730 civilians killed between January and March alone. [1] Between January and June, an estimated 300,000 people were displaced by the violence according to the UN,[2] of whom 125,000 fled to neighbouring countries, including Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, and DRC. In DRC, more than 33,000 people have arrived since April, according to the country's National Council of Refugees. Instability has led to the total collapse of already-fragile public services, and MSF has been forced to close two hospitals and scale down operations in the country amid attacks on health facilities. Most people arriving in DRC have fled Morobo county in Central Equatoria state, which has become highly volatile due to intensified fighting this year. A few days ago, we were forced to suspend all activities in Morobo—including services in camps for internally displaced people—as well as in neighbouring Yei River county. This decision followed the abduction of health workers, including one of our own staff members. Arriving with nothing Ituri province, in northeastern DRC, where most of the South Sudanese crossing into the country arrive, has itself been beset by conflict for decades, characterised by violence, ethnic division and a wide prevalence of armed groups. Even prior to the arrival of South Sudanese refugees, health systems were under strain and almost non-existent in the border area. Many refugees arrive with few or no possessions whatsoever, having hastily fled South Sudan for their lives. 'We are suffering,' says Jacob Justin, who travelled alone with nothing but the clothes on his back. 'We have no schools, no hospitals and no access to clean water.' Viola Kani fled across the border in May with her brother and four children. 'We ran away with nothing. They took our food and clothes,' she says. 'Now we are dying of hunger and don't have anything to sleep on.' Six percent of children aged 6 to 59 months seen by MSF teams near the border are suffering from severe malnutrition, which represents a major public health problem, according to Dr Léonard Wabingwa, MSF's medical activity manager in Adi. MSF response To address the growing needs of the refugees, MSF launched an emergency response in May. We sent two mobile clinics and set up six community healthcare centres. In less than two months since activities were launched, more than 3,000 medical consultations were carried out—with the weekly average of more 370 consultations continuing to rise. Malaria accounts for more than half of all cases, followed by respiratory tract infections and acute gastroenteritis. We screen children under five years old for malnutrition, treating patients with therapeutic food. 'We have also provided care to several survivors of sexual violence, including some as young as 12,' says Dr Wabingwa. Risk of disease outbreaks Measles cases have already been reported among the refugee community, and an MSF-supported mass vaccination campaign, targeting 62,000 children, is set to begin in August to reduce the risks of an outbreak. A parallel vaccination campaign will seek to provide routine vaccinations to a further 520 infants and 310 pregnant women. 'Instability in South Sudan means routine vaccinations have been interrupted,' says Félicien Lwiteo, MSF project coordinator in Adi. 'If you are running for your life, it is difficult to respect a medical appointment. There's a real risk of disease outbreaks and it's vital that we act quickly.' MSF is also working on critical infrastructure projects. Our teams are installing six water distribution points and 200 latrines and showers, expected to be completed by mid-August. Additionally, nearly 6,000 non-food item kits containing essential items—such as mosquito nets, buckets, soap, and portable toilets—will be distributed to families. Mounting needs, limited support With more refugees arriving daily in DRC, MSF's capacity to meet the growing needs is under pressure. 'There are very few international organisations on the ground and none that are providing the same range of medical services as MSF,' says Asiyat Magomedova, MSF Head of Programmes covering the area. 'Without support from other partners, there is a risk that further lives will be lost.' In South Sudan, the situation remains 'critical' according to Dr Ferdinand Atte, MSF Head of Mission in the country. 'It is crucial to ensure safe and unobstructed access to populations in need, and to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, before we can consider resuming our activities,' says Dr Atte. 'While we are deeply committed to providing care to those in need, we cannot keep our staff working in an unsafe environment.' For the South Sudanese refugees now living in DRC, there is little hope of returning home anytime soon. 'If we go back, that means we are going to die,' says Viola. 'How can we go back there?' [1] UNMISS: Violence against civilians surges amidst escalating conflict in South Sudan (January - March 2025) | UNMISS [2] OCHA - South Sudan: Humanitarian Snapshot (June 2025) | OCHA Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).
