An Iranian border guard was killed Monday morning during a confrontation with armed men in a border area in Sistan and Baluchestan province.

According to reports by Halvash, Captain Mohammad Mehdi Nejatinia, the commander of a border guard group stationed in Mirjaveh, was shot in the head.

Despite efforts to transfer him to medical facilities, he succumbed to his injuries, added Halvash, which reports incidents in Baluch regions.

The incident adds to a concerning trend of armed attacks targeting government forces in Sistan and Baluchestan province. Last night, clashes between a group of armed men and military forces were reported in the Roodak region of Khash County and Gosht region of Saravan county.

While the extent of casualties remains unknown, the region has been a hotspot for clashes between Iranian security forces and militant ethnic Baloch separatist organizations advocating for enhanced rights for the Baluch minority.

Jaish al-Adl, one such militant group, has been involved in numerous assaults on Iranian security forces in the province.

The incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in maintaining security in Sistan and Baluchestan province, which has witnessed several violent episodes in recent months.

Earlier incidents, including the assault on a police station in the village of Shuru near Zahedan on January 25, and an armed attack on a checkpoint near Rask on January 10 which led to the loss of life of at least one law enforcement officer, emphasize the growing violence in the area.