OVERVIEW

Jaysh al-Adl flag

Jundallah, which changed its name in 2012 to Jaysh al-Adl (JAA), is a Sunni militant group based in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan province. The group is also known as the “People’s Resistance of Iran.” Jundallah’s former leader, Abdolmalek Rigi, founded the group in 2002 or 2003 and served as its leader until the Iranian Government captured and executed him in 2010. After that, the group splintered into several elements—of which JAA became the most active and influential. Iran considers JAA to be Jundallah’s successor and the leader of Baluch resistance in Iran. The group’s stated goals are to secure recognition of Baluchi cultural, economic, and political rights from the Iranian Government and to spread awareness of the plight of the Baluch people.

OPERATING AREAS
Sistan-Baluchistan province in southeastern Iran and the adjoining Baluch-majority areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan

MEMBERS
Unknown

TACTICS AND TARGETS
JAA primarily targets Iranian security personnel but has also historically targeted government officials and Shia civilians with ambushes, assassinations, assaults, hit-and-run raids, kidnappings, and suicide bombings. Its weapons include small arms, light weapons, and various IEDs, such as suicide vests and car-bombs. Its fighters use guerrilla swarm-and-scatter tactics—primarily with small arms and rocket fire—to attack border outposts and transportation convoys.

FOREIGN TERRORIST GROUP DESIGNATION
The US State Department designated Jundallah as a foreign terrorist organization on 4 November 2010 and amended the designation in 2019 to include the group’s new “Jaysh al-Adl” name.

KEY LEADERS

NOTABLE ATTACKS