Reuters AlertNet Lite - Iranian soldiers freed in Pakistan border area-IRNA

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Iranian soldiers freed in Pakistan border area-IRNA

26 Mar 2007 17:01:23 GMT
Source: Reuters

TEHRAN, March 26 (Reuters) - Three Iranian soldiers kidnapped by bandits in a volatile border area and taken to Pakistan have been freed, the official IRNA news agency reported on Monday.

The soldiers were abducted last month in the Iranian border province of Sistan-Baluchestan, which has seen an upsurge in unrest, it said. Security forces and drug smugglers often clash in the area.

"Three police soldiers who were kidnapped by armed bandits were returned to the country a few hours ago," IRNA said, citing an Intelligence Ministry statement as saying Pakistani security forces took part in the operation.

The report did not give details or make clear where the three soldiers were freed.

Last month, a booby-trapped car blew up a bus owned by Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards in the city of Zahedan in the province, killing at least 11 people and wounding 31 others.

Responsibility for that attack was claimed by a shadowy Sunni group, Jundallah (God's soldiers), which Iran has said is linked to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network. Tehran has blamed Jundallah for past killings in the area bordering Pakistan.

Iran has accused Britain and the United States of supporting ethnic minority rebels operating in sensitive border areas in an attempt to destabilise the country.

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Last updated:Mon Mar 26 17:03:16 2007