A ‘terrorist’ attack killed four members of Iran’s security forces in the country’s southeast, the state news agency IRNA reported.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members were killed “during a terrorist act” in the Saravan region of Sistan-Baluchistan province near the Pakistani border, it said.

The region is one of Iran’s poorest and is home to the Baluchi minority, who adhere to Sunni Islam rather than the Shiite branch predominant in Iran.

“The powerful presence of the security forces pushed elements of the group to flee towards Pakistan,” IRNA said, without providing further details on the assailants.

The area has previously seen clashes with drug smuggling gangs as well as rebels from the Baluchi minority and Sunni Muslim extremist groups.

Since the September 16 death in morality police custody of Mahsa Amini in the capital Tehran, protesters in Sistan-Baluchistan have also rallied in anti-regime protests which have spread nationwide.