The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Sindh Police in Pakistan has announced the arrest of two armed men affiliated with the Zeynabiyoun militant group in Karachi. According to Radio Mashaal, Asif Ejaz Sheikh, head of the Sindh police unit, made this announcement during a press conference in Karachi on Thursday, May 16.
Sheikh stated, “Both suspects received training in Iran and, under the directives of Iranian intelligence agencies, targeted religious scholars and members of an opposing religious group in Karachi.” He identified the two suspects as Waqar Abbas and Hussain Akbar, noting that the men, hailing from Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region, have been involved in the shooting deaths of 17 religious scholars and the wounding of 11 others in Karachi from September last year to February 21 of this year.
Raja Umar Khitab, head of CTD Karachi, also spoke at the press conference, revealing that the group operates under the leadership of “Seyed Hossain Mousavi,” alias “Muslim,” and functions like a civilian intelligence organization. Police officials disclosed that they have identified 23 members of the Tehran-supported Zeynabiyoun militant group in Karachi and have initiated efforts to apprehend them.
#Iran News: #Pakistan Officially Designates Tehran-backed Zainabiyoun Brigade as Terrorist Organizationhttps://t.co/ZEpB8DCJRm
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) April 12, 2024
The Zeynabiyoun Brigade, composed of Pakistani Shias, and the Fatemiyoun Brigade, consisting of Afghan Shias, are groups established by the Iranian regime to participate in regional conflicts, especially in Syria. Both groups have been sanctioned by the U.S. government since 2019 for terrorism. The Zeynabiyoun Brigade has been officially identified as a terrorist organization by Pakistan’s Interior Ministry, according to a directive made public on April 11.
Some analysts see this development as another setback for the diplomacy of the Iranian regime’s president Ebrahim Raisi, who had attempted to demonstrate improved relations between Iran and Pakistan during a two-day visit to Pakistan in April. It also highlights the ongoing mistrust towards the regime, showing that despite diplomatic lip service and lengthy agreements, the leading state sponsor of terrorism continues its malign activities and agendas.
What Did #Iran’s Regime Gain from Raisi’s #Pakistan Visithttps://t.co/tvfxRdsU9b
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) April 25, 2024
