Harakat Ansar Iran

Sunni militant organization
Harakat Ansar Iran
Harakat Ansar Iran
LeadersMohammad Shafi †
Abu Hafs al Baloochi †
Dates of operation2012–2013
Active regionsSistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran
IdeologySalafist jihadism
anti-Islamic Republic of Iran
AlliesSaudi Arabia Saudi Arabia[1]
Al-Qaeda
Jaish ul-Adl
OpponentsIran Iran
Preceded by
Jundallah
Succeeded by
Ansar Al-Furqan

Harakat Ansar Iran (Persian: حرکت انصار ایران, lit. 'Movement of the Partisans of Iran')[2] was a Sunni militant organization active from 2012 to 2013 in the Sistan and Baluchestan insurgency. It is a designated terrorist organization by Iran and Japan.[3] It was one of two militant groups, along with its ally Jaish ul-Adl, which split from Jundallah after the arrest of its leader in 2010.[2]

Harakat Ansar was initially led by Mohammad Shafi who was killed in Pakistan. After his death, Hesham Azizi a.k.a. Abu Hafs al Baloochi became the leader.[4] According to Mashregh News, the group received support from Saudi Arabia and the Taliban.[5]

The group later dropped "Iran" from their name, calling themselves Harakat al-Ansar (Arabic: حرکة الانصار), which uses Arabic rather than the former Persian name. The group merged with Hizbul-Furqan and formed Ansar Al-Furqan in late 2013.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Pakistani Jihadis Abduct Iranian Soldiers". The Daily Beast. 2 February 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Iran calls for return of abducted border guards held in Pakistan". The Telegraph. 28 March 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  3. ^ "Harakat Ansar Iran， Movement of the Partisan of Iran" ハラカト・アンサール・イラン（HAI） (in Japanese). Ministry of Justice of Japan. Archived from the original on 9 March 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  4. ^ "دستاوردهای‌ یک عملیات؛ چرا عملیات علیه هسته مرکزی گروهک "انصار الفرقان" مهم بود؟" (in Persian). Mashregh News. 12 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  5. ^ "نگرانی سلفی ها از مدل اهل سنت ایران؛ قطر در جنوب شرق ایران به دنبال چیست/ گروهک انصار ایران چگونه شکل گرفت؟" (in Persian). Mashregh News. 20 January 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  6. ^ "Iran Sunni Baloch Insurgents: "Union With Hizbul-Furqan Strengthens Our Front Against Safavids"". EA WorldView. December 21, 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
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