In a devastating overnight assault on a police station in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, at least 11 Iranian police officers lost their lives, according to an official statement aired on state television. The attack, one of the deadliest in the region in years, took place around midnight and was claimed by the Sunni Muslim jihadist group Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice).

Alireza Marhamati, the deputy governor of the province, reported that a number of assailants were also killed in a subsequent shootout with security forces. "In the terrorist attack on the police headquarters in the town of Rask, 11 policemen were killed, and others were wounded," Marhamati stated during the televised announcement.

The police officers at the targeted station displayed bravery, managing to wound and kill some of the assailants during the attack. Seven police officers were reported wounded, with some in critical condition, as confirmed by Zahedan prosecutor Mehdi Shamsabadi.

Jaish al-Adl, designated as a "terrorist" group by Iran, promptly claimed responsibility for the attack in a brief statement on its Telegram channel. The group, formed in 2012, is known for its extremist activities in the region.

Deputy Interior Minister Majid Mirahmadi, speaking on television, informed the public that one of the terrorists had been arrested by security forces. The attackers were reportedly unable to escape across the border, and the security forces have since secured the entire region.

The Sistan-Baluchistan police commander was present at the scene, and the situation is now under control, as confirmed by the official news agency IRNA. An investigation into the attack has been initiated.

Sistan-Baluchistan, lying close to Iran's borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan, has witnessed a spate of attacks involving drug-smuggling gangs, rebels from the Baluchi minority, and Sunni Muslim extremists. The region has been a focal point for similar incidents, with the latest attack following a pattern of violence that has plagued the province.

This tragic event comes in the wake of escalating tensions in the area, marked by previous attacks, including an incident on July 23 when four policemen were killed during patrol, also claimed by Jaish al-Adl. The province has been a hotspot for unrest, involving clashes with armed groups and, in some cases, conflicts over water rights with neighboring countries.

The Iranian government has been grappling with security challenges in the region, as evidenced by the May incident when five Iranian border guards lost their lives in clashes with an armed group in Saravan, southeast of Zahedan. The region has also witnessed deadly protests, such as those in Zahedan last September, triggered by allegations of the rape of a teenage girl by a police officer.

As the nation mourns the loss of these brave officers, the Iranian authorities are determined to address the ongoing security concerns in the region and prevent further acts of violence.