Four Iranian soldiers killed in PJAK clash

TEHRAN - The Associated Press

A news agency said four troops from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have been killed in clashes with suspected Kurdish militants from the Iranian Kurdish Party for Free Life in Kurdistan (PJAK) in western Iran. Eight others were wounded.

Iran’s Mehr news agency said yesterday the fighting erupted near Paveh. There has been sporadic fighting in the mountainous regions on Iran’s border with Iraq and Turkey between Iranian forces and the militants. This is the most serious clash between the militants and Iranian forces since September. The report said the Guard clashed April 24 with armed members of the PJAK.

PJAK is the Iranian wing of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) which is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S., EU and Turkey.