A group of newly detained people in Zahedan
The Islamic Republic’s intelligence ministry says as of Wednesday at least 100 people have been arrested in the Sunni-majority southeastern city of Zahedan.
Intelligence ministry directorate in Sistan-Baluchistan announced that at least one hundred people, who it called "criminals", "armed robbers" and "illegal immigrants", were detained with the cooperation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the police.
Using the common rhetoric of the Islamic Republic authorities, the directorate claimed, "the illegal foreign nationals played an effective role in insecurity, creating terror and violent robberies in Zahedan."
Almost three months after the "Bloody Friday of Zahedan" mass arrests of Baluch citizens has begun in the Sunni city.
The Bloody Friday in Zahedan took place September 30, when security forces killed at least 93 people, and injured hundreds more as civilians protested.
On Monday, regime forces arrested at least 40 citizens in a joint operation in the flashpoint city.
Reports say the arrest of Baluch citizens has continued in the past few days, and according to activists at least one hundred citizens, including children with no birth certificates have been detained.
According to Baluch Activists Campaign website, the military commanders have attacked ordinary citizens in public places of Zahedan on the pretext of "arresting criminals and armed robbers".
Among the detainees were seasonal workers who had gathered at a square in downtown Zahedan. Agents have reportedly arrested them while running over them in military vehicles. The report said those who tried to escape to different areas of the city, have been shot.