Iran and Pakistan Engage in Retaliatory Strikes Against Each Other's Militant Groups

Unique Points

• Pakistan's air force launched retaliatory airstrikes early Thursday in Iran against alleged militant hideouts
• Iran has accused Pakistan of providing safe haven to these groups in its respective territories.
• Both countries have long regarded each other with suspicion over militant attacks and face their own internal political pressures, which may be contributing factors to the strikes.

Accuracy

No Contradictions at Time Of Publication

Deception (80%)

• The article claims that the attacks were a response to credible intelligence of impending large scale terrorist activities when there is no evidence presented to support this claim.
• The article uses sensationalist language such as 'marg bar sarmachar' which means death to guerrilla in Farsi and local Baluch language respectively, implying that these attacks are a direct threat to national security of both countries.
• The article claims that Pakistan has martyred innocent Baluch people when there is no evidence presented to support this claim.

Fallacies (80%)

• Pakistan's air force launched retaliatory airstrikes against alleged militant hideouts in Iran
• The attacks were targeting Baluch separatist groups with similar goals on either side of the border
• Both countries are providing safe haven to these groups.

Bias (85%)

• The article portrays the attack by Pakistan's air force on alleged militant hideouts in Iran as a retaliatory action.

Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

• The author is a journalist for AP News, an organization that has reported on the conflict between Iran and Pakistan.

Unique Points

• Pakistan conducted a series of military strikes against insurgents operating in Iran's Siestan-o-Baluchistan province as part of an intelligence-based operation named Marg Bar Sarmachar.
• The Pakistan Armed Forces completed a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against Pakistani terrorists in Iran. The strikes were described as successful by the MoFA and left a number of terrorists dead.
• Pakistan will continue to take all necessary steps to preserve the safety and security of its people which is sacrosanct, inviolable and sacred.

Accuracy

No Contradictions at Time Of Publication

Deception (50%)

• The article states that Pakistan has consistently shared its serious concerns about safe havens and sanctuaries enjoyed by Pakistani-origin terrorists calling themselves Sarmachars on ungoverned spaces inside Iran with concrete evidence of their presence and activities. However, there is no mention of any specific intelligence reports or dossiers that were shared with Iran to support this claim.
• The article states that Pakistan conducted a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against Pakistani terrorists in Iran's Siestan-o-Baluchistan province. However, there is no evidence to support this claim and the author does not provide any sources or quotes from experts to corroborate this information.
• The article states that Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs described Iran as a brotherly country and said the Pakistani people hold great respect and affection for the Iranian people. This statement contradicts previous statements made by Pakistan regarding its concerns about safe havens and sanctuaries enjoyed by terrorists in Iran.

Fallacies (85%)

• Pakistan conducted a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against Pakistani terrorists in Iran's Siestan-o-Baluchistan province as part of an intelligence-based operation named Marg Bar Sarmachar, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.
• This action is a manifestation of Pakistan's unflinching resolve to protect and defend its national security against all threats.

Bias (85%)

• Pakistan conducted a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against Pakistani terrorists in Iran's Siestan-o-Baluchistan province as part of an intelligence-based operation named Marg Bar Sarmachar, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.
• This action is a manifestation of Pakistan's unflinching resolve to protect and defend its national security against all threats.

Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

Unique Points

• Pakistan carried out a series of deadly military strikes on separatist militant hideouts inside Iran
• The new strikes mean both Pakistan and Iran have now taken the extraordinary step of attacking militants on each other's soil this week at a time of expanding conflict in the Middle East and wider region
• Islamabad said Thursday its forces launched a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes in Iran's southeastern Sistan and Baluchistan province as part of an operation called Marg Bar Sarmachar, which loosely translates to death to the guerrilla fighters.
• The hideouts targeted in the operation were used by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), two militant groups fighting for greater regional autonomy.

Accuracy

No Contradictions at Time Of Publication

Deception (50%)

• The article states that Pakistan carried out a series of deadly military strikes on separatist militant hideouts inside Iran's southeastern Sistan and Baluchistan province. However, this statement is misleading because it implies that Pakistan has a legitimate reason for attacking Iranian soil.
• The article quotes a deputy governor of Sistan and Baluchistan who claims that explosions were heard in a border village at 4:30 am on January 16th which killed two children. However, this statement is inconsistent with other sources stating that no casualties occurred from that blast.

Fallacies (85%)

• The situation is described as a major escalation between two neighboring powers
• Regional hostilities are mentioned to be mounting over Israel's ongoing war in Gaza
• Iranian official says attacks on Pakistan were unprovoked without evidence presented in the article
• Tehran is depicted as showing both strength and fear through its military strikes

Bias (85%)

• Iranian Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian told CNN at the World Economic Forum in Davos Wednesday that attacks by Iran-backed groups in the Middle East won't stop until Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza ends
• Pakistan has carried out military strikes on separatist targets in Iran

Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

• CNN has a financial stake in both Pakistan and Iran
• Regan reports on Jaish al-Adl and Israel's intelligence agency Mossad which could also be sources of conflict.
• Regan reports on military strikes in Sistan and Baluchistan province where her source Jalil Abbas Jilani, an Iranian state-aligned Tasnim news agency, may have ties to the BLAs or BFLs.

Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

• Helen Regan reports on the deadly attack on Pakistani soil by Tehran
• The article mentions Jaish al-Adl, an Iranian state-aligned group that has been involved in attacks against Pakistan.

Unique Points

• Iran launched a surgical strike on Pakistan targeting the terrorist group Jaish al-Adl's bases in Balochistan
• Jaish al-Adl is a Sunni terrorist group with a stronghold in Pakistan and aims to break up Sistan-Baluchistan from Iran
• Pakistan has responded lukewarmly to Iran's calls for action against Jaish al-Adl

Accuracy

• Jaish al-Adl is a Sunni terrorist group with a stronghold in Pakistan and aims to break up the country by separating Sistan-Baluchistan from Iran

Deception (50%)

• The following quote from the article is an example of deception because it claims that Iran launched a surgical strike on Pakistan without providing any evidence or sources to support this claim: 'Today, that promise was fulfilled as Iran launched a surgical strike on Pakistan, targeting the terrorist group’s bases in Balochistan.'

Fallacies (85%)

• The recent suicide attacks in Kerman on the death anniversary of General Qassem Soleimani set the stage for today's events.

Bias (85%)

• Iranian drones and missiles hit two camps of the Pakistani militant group Jaish al Adl in the Balochistan province's border town of Panjgur on Tuesday
• Jaish al-Adl has now emerged as an affiliate of the Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K)
• The recent suicide attacks in Kerman, Iran, on the death anniversary of General Qassem Soleimani

Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

• Jaish al-Adl has now emerged as an affiliate of the Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K). Reports suggest that the recent bombings in Iran were executed with the collaboration of both groups, further complicating the regional landscape. Although Tehran has not made any evidence public
• Pakistan's response to Iranian drones and missiles hitting two camps of Jaish al Adl in Panjgur on Tuesday ANI is lukewarm leading to a burgeoning threat.
• . The group has been a menace to the region conducting various attacks including suicide bombings, kidnappings, ambushes and hit-and-runs.

Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Unique Points

• The region of Baluchistan is split between Iran and Pakistan
• A low-grade insurgency is active in both countries with the restive Baloch fighting against their respective central governments.
• In ways more than one, they are a common menace to each other's security forces and local police.

Accuracy

• Iran and Pakistan have not been the best of friends for a very long time. However, they have not been sworn enemies either.
• The region of Baluchistan is split between Iran and Pakistan and had remained largely porous before the security-minded world post 9/11.
• A low-grade insurgency is active in both countries with the restive Baloch fighting against their respective central governments. However, the nature of the resentment is different in both countries.

Deception (80%)

• The article portrays Iran's actions as unprovoked when they were actually part of an ongoing effort to rein in these groups. For example, after the United States invaded Afghanistan, Jundallah launched attacks on Iranian soil and Iran started exerting pressure on Pakistan to rein them in.
• The article states that Iran launched an attack inside the Baluchistan Province of Pakistan on Thursday morning. However, this is not accurate as there have been attacks by Baloch separatist groups in the region for many years and Iran has been threatening unilateral action against them for several years now.

Fallacies (85%)

• Inflammatory Rhetoric: 'The region of Baluchistan is split between Iran and Pakistan and had remained largely porous before 9/11.'
• Appeal to Authority: 'Iran has been threatening unilateral action against Pakistan-based groups for several years now, no one thought that it would deliver on its threat.'

Bias (85%)

• groups like Jundallah, and later Jaish ul Adl, have created havoc among the ranks and files of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and local police on the other side
• The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and allied groups have mounted several attacks against Pakistani and Chinese interests on this side of the border

Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

• Iran caught a lucky break when it managed to capture and execute Jundallah's head, Abdolmalek Rigi, in 2010. It was said then that the intelligence for the same was provided by Pakistan.
• Jundallah to Jaish ul Adl
• Pakistan protested strongly but Iran swept matter aside.

Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

• Iran caught a lucky break when it managed to capture and execute Jundallah's head in 2010. It is said that the intelligence for the same was provided by Pakistan.
• > US invaded Afghanistan, which led to an increase in deadly attacks by Baloch insurgents against Iranian security forces. The primarily active group then was Jundallah, which had a base inside Pakistan's Baluchistan and received support from Americans who were operating at whim.