PJAK kills commander of the Iranian Guards

Iran said on Friday that an outlawed pro-Kurdish rebel group killed a commander of the Revolutionary Guards during clashes in a western region of the Islamic state, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

“Brigadier General Abbasali Jannesari was martyred during clashes with the [The Party of Free Life of Kurdistan] PJAK terrorist group in the western parts of the country,” said Fars.

The official said 10 Iranian troops died in the clashes while 30 PJAK militants were killed.

PJAK is an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which is listed as a terrorist group by Turkey and much of the international community. In July, Iran launched a major offensive against PJAK militants, shelling districts near Iraq’s border for weeks, but halted it during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Last Monday PJAK declared a truce and called on Iran to reciprocate in order to prevent further bloodshed.

The elite Revolutionary Guards said a ceasefire declared by PJAK would be “meaningless” if the group refused to withdraw its forces from the Islamic Republic.


/Hurriyet Daily News/