Iran's Guards kill insurgents 'infiltrating' from Iraq border

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Sunday there had been three clashes with "terrorists" along the border with Iraq in recent days, leaving several militants dead.

"In recent days we have been witnessing some movements and efforts by anti-revolutionary bandits and terrorists in west and northwest border areas with the aim of deep infiltration," said Brigadier-General Mohammad Pakpour, ground forces commander of the Guards.

He said the first attack was on Friday in the Oshnaviyeh area near the border with Iraqi Kurdistan, that left seven militants "killed or wounded". 

Two further attacks were reported between Saturday and Sunday - another in Oshnaviyeh and one further south in Sarvabad. 

Pakpour said surveillance had identified these militants before they were able "to infiltrate our country's soil". 

The clashes on Saturday and Sunday left six attackers dead and three wounded, he added, and that a considerable amount of weaponry had been recovered.

No casualties were reported among the IRCG.

The IRCG did not specify the identity of the insurgents, but it often uses the term "terrorists" to mean Sunni Muslim militants.

In June 2017, militants belonging to the Islamic State group carried out twin attacks on Tehran's parliament building in and the mausoleum of Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, which killed at least 18 people.

Agencies contributed to this report.