Iranian forces smash 'terror' team, kill six members: Ministry

Tehran, Aug 24 (IANS) Iran's Intelligence Ministry said that its forces had smashed a "terrorist" team in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, killing six of its members and arresting two others.

Members of the "terror" team, seven non-Iranian nationals, had entered Iran through the country's eastern border during the past days and sought to perpetrate "precarious and targeted terrorist operations," according to a statement published on the ministry's website, which did not specify the date of the operation.

The statement added the members were equipped with different kinds of weapons, ammunition and explosive devices, saying among the items seized from the "terrorists" were laser-guided grenade launchers, US-made machine guns, grenades, explosive vests, two-way radios, ammunition as well as a number of vehicles and motorcycles, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the ministry, the team sought to attack a critical center east of Iran, "exactly the kind of military targets attacked by Israel during its 12-day war" with Iran in June.

It said the available evidence was indicative of the "terrorist" cell's Israeli-affiliated nature.

According to the statement, during the clash with the "terrorists," which took several hours, three Iranian security forces were wounded.

Sistan and Baluchestan, a province bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan, has suffered several terrorist attacks targeting both civilians and security forces in recent years.

On Friday, five policemen were killed in an attack by "terrorists" on two patrol units in the province, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

--IANS

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