3 Iran Guards killed in clash near Iraq border: Report

ISNA news agency reported that three members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards were killed in an encounter with a “counter-revolutionary” group in the western province of Kurdistan on Tuesday.

“Colonel Shakiba Salimi and two other brave fighters of Islam, Jafar Nezampour and Majid Shokri, were martyred after fighting and killing many counter-revolutionary elements,” ISNA added.

The crash happened near the town of Divandareh, the report added, without naming the group.

For much of the past 40 years, Iran has been battling Kurdish militants. They use bases in neighbouring Iraqi Kurdistan to stage attacks against the Guards and state institutions inside the country.

Iranian local channel stated the funeral of those killed is to be held on Wednesday morning while observing health protocols and social distancing measures imposed during the novel coronavirus outbreak.