Militants seize 14 Iranian security forces near Pakistan
TEHRAN, Iran -- Militants in Iran abducted 14 members of a border security force near the Pakistan border on Tuesday in the latest blow to the powerful Revolutionary Guard.
Media reports quoted an unnamed but informed source as saying two of those abducted are members of the Guard's intelligence department. The rest include seven members of the Basij force, a volunteer wing of the Guard, as well as regular Iranian border guards.
The abduction took place under the cover of darkness near the Loukdan crossing point in southeastern Sistan and Baluchistan province. The area, which lies on a major opium trafficking route, has seen occasional clashes between Iranian forces and Baluch separatists, as well as drug traffickers.
Iranian media later said an al-Qaida-affiliated group known as Jaish al-Adl claimed responsibility for the attack.
