Balochistan: Prominent Baloch Peace Activist Assassinated in Pahra
DOZZAAP (ZAHEDAN): Mullah Kamal Salahzehi, a respected Baloch tribal elder, community mediator and long-standing critic of the Islamic Republic of Iran, was assassinated today by unidentified gunmen in the south eastern city of Pahra (Iranshahr) in Iranian Occupied Balochistan.
According to the Baloch Activists Campaign, Mullah Salahzehi was travelling with his son and driver in a private vehicle near the Defa-e-Moghaddas roundabout when they came under fire. He was killed instantly by gunshots, while his son sustained injuries. The driver survived the attack.
Mullah Salahzehi, originally from the village of Gurnag in Sarbaz County, was widely known for his influential role in mediating tribal disputes and promoting peace in the restive Baloch region. His assassination has sent shockwaves through Baloch communities, both in Balochistan and abroad.
Sources close to the Baloch Activists Campaign described Salahzehi as a key opponent of the Islamic Republic of Iran during the 1980s and 1990s. He had been involved in multiple armed confrontations with Iranian military forces during that period. Despite entering into an unofficial agreement for safe passage with the authorities later on, the state continued attempts on his life over the years.
One of the most violent episodes in his past came on November 3, 1999, when Iranian military forces launched a major operation to capture him. The raid on Gurnag village resulted in fierce clashes, reportedly leaving dozens of Iranian military personnel dead. Following their failure to apprehend Salahzehi, state forces bombarded the village using helicopters. To this day, remnants of the destruction remain, with many homes still unrepaired.
Today’s assassination has reignited fears of a renewed campaign of targeted killings against Baloch activists and tribal leaders. Human rights organisations have called for an independent investigation into the killing and broader scrutiny of Iran’s treatment of its Baloch nation.
So far, Iranian state media has not commented on the assassination and no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
