Iran Kills Three Purported Sunni Militants

August 16, 2016

Iranian security forces claim they have killed three purported Sunni militants in western Iran.

Police reported that the men were killed in a shoot-out on August 16 in the city of Kermanshah, about 500 kilometers southwest of Tehran and about 100 kilometers from the border with Iraq.

They said an automatic rifle and a suicide vest were confiscated after the clash.

The purported militants were not identified but were called “takfirist,” a term usually used for extremist Sunni Muslims, including members of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization.

Iran has said IS has been targeting the country for some months since Tehran bolstered its military activity in Iraq and Syria.

In June, Iranian officials said they had arrested 10 IS militants and confiscated about 100 kilograms of explosives.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP