Mojtaba Shahidi, the chief of intelligence police in Bandar Lengeh in Hormozgan province in southern Iran, was killed in a terrorist strike yesterday (December 28), according to Iranian media reports.
A suicide bomber exploded the vehicle in front of the Intelligence Police building, causing widespread loss of life and property. The suicide bomber drove his car near the vehicle carrying Mojtaba Shahidi, the head of the Bandar Lengeh Intelligence Police.
As a result of the explosion, Shahidi was hit in the head, face, neck, and chest by the suicide attacker’s shrapnel and died in the hospital.
The attack also injured his colleague, the deputy head of intelligence police in Bandar Lengeh, who is currently undergoing surgery for injuries to his head and face.
The suicide bomber did not die in the explosion but was killed at the scene.
The Governor of the southern port city, Fuad Moradzadeh, said that the attacker was a terrorist. “Unfortunately, one of the defenders of the country’s security forces was martyred in this incident.”
The Governor further added, “the perpetrator was killed in the incident, while another police commander was injured.”
Attacks of this kind, where heads of security, military and intelligence have been killed, are very regular in Iran. Previously, the political head of Islamic terror group Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in an explosion in the heart of Tehran.
As per reports, Jaishul Adal, an Iranian Sunni militant organisation, has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing.
Ansarul Furqan, another Iranian Sunni militant organisation, has claimed responsibility for the same attack.
Jaisul Adal and Ansarul Furqan have primarily targeted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iranian stakes in Sistan Baluchistan province, where they enjoy stronghold among the ethnic community. However, they haven’t frequently come out of the province to target Iranian interests in other states.
The recent attack in Hormozgan, if carried out by any of these two, shows that they have encouraged themselves to escalate things at a time when Iran is facing big-time challenges and a looming war in West Asia.
