{{Short description|Baloch nationalist militant organization}} {{Infobox militant organization | name = People's Fighters Front | native_name = جبهه مبارزین مردمی | native_name_lang = bal | logo = | other_name = PFF, JMM | leader1_title = Head of the political office | leader1_name = Abdul Rahman Baloch | leader2_title = Spokesperson | leader2_name = Mahmud Baloch<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sayeh |first=Janatan |date=2025-12-12 |title=Iranian Baluch separatist factions establish Popular Fighters Front coalition |url=https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2025/12/12/iranian-baluch-separatist-factions-establish-popular-fighters-front-coalition/ |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=FDD |language=en}}</ref> | foundation = 10 December 2025 | active = 2025–present | country = {{flag|Iran}} | ideology = Baloch nationalism<br>Baloch separatism<br>Sunni Islamism | status = Active | war = {{tree list}} * Balochistan insurgency ** Sistan and Balochistan insurgency * 2025–2026 Iranian protests {{tree list/end}} | organizations = {{ubl|{{flagicon image|Flag_of_Jaish_al-Adl.svg}} Jaysh al-Adl|Nasr Movement|Pada Baloch Movement|Muhammad Rasul Allah Group}} | flag = border|200px | predecessor = {{ubl|Jaysh al-Adl|Nasr Movement|Pada Baloch Movement|Muhammad Rasul Allah Group}} }}The '''People's Fighters Front''' ({{Langx|bal|جبهه مبارزین مردمی|Jabheh-yi Mubarizin-i Mardumi}}, abbreviated as '''PFF''' or '''JMM'''), is a Baloch nationalist militant organization mainly operating in the Sistan and Balochistan province in southeastern Iran. It was founded in late 2025 as a merger of several Sunni Baloch militias, including Jaysh al-Adl, and has been participant in the Sistan and Balochistan insurgency. The PFF's masked spokesperson is Mahmud Baloch.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sayeh |first=Janatan |date=2025-12-12 |title=Iranian Baluch separatist factions establish Popular Fighters Front coalition |url=https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2025/12/12/iranian-baluch-separatist-factions-establish-popular-fighters-front-coalition/ |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=FDD |language=en}}</ref>

== History ==

=== Background === Before the official formation of the group, Iran's IRGC had launched multiple counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations in 2024 and 2025 targeting the group's strongest subgroup, Jaysh al-Adl, inflicting losses on the group, which continued even after the PFF was formed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Solomon |first=Christopher |date=2025-12-19 |title=Iran Update, December 18, 2025 |url=https://understandingwar.org/research/middle-east/iran-update-december-18-2025/ |access-date=2026-02-05 |website=Institute for the Study of War |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Iran’s IRGC says it killed over a dozen militants in southeast |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/iran-s-irgc-says-killed-over-a-dozen-militants-in-southeast/3670254 |access-date=27 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mukherjee |first=Srishti |date=8 November 2024 |title=Iran's Revolutionary Guards Intensify Crackdown in Sistan-Balochistan, Killing More Militants |url=https://www.newsx.com/world/irans-revolutionary-guards-intensify-crackdown-in-sistan-balochistan-killing-more-militants/ |access-date=11 November 2024 |website=NewsX World |language=en-US}}</ref>

On November 29 Jaish al Adl, announced that it had merged with other Baloch groups in order to better its fight against Iran.<ref>{{Cite web |title=صدای عدالت-جیش العدل |trans-title=Voice of Justice - Army of Justice |url=https://t.me/The_voice_of_justice/674 |access-date=2026-03-08 |website=Telegram}}</ref>

===Establishment=== On 10 December 2025, multiple militias such as Jaysh al-Adl, Nasr Movement, Pada Baloch Movement, Muhammad Rasul Allah Group and others announced the formation of a single united organization called the "People's Fighters Front" (PFF).<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |date=2025-12-11 |title=Armed group claims deadly attack on Guards members in southeast Iran |url=https://www.iranintl.com/en/202512115893 |access-date=2025-12-11 |website=Iran International |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite web |date=2025-12-11 |title=یک ائتلاف جدید از گروه‌های بلوچ مسئولیت حمله مسلحانه به نیروهای سپاه در لار را برعهده گرفت |url=https://www.radiozamaneh.com/871583/ |access-date=2025-12-11 |website=Radio Zamaneh |language=fa-IR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=- IRAN'S SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM WORLDWIDE |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-113hhrg86958/html/CHRG-113hhrg86958.htm |access-date=18 May 2022 |website=GovInfo}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Solomon |first=Christopher |date=2025-12-12 |title=Iran Update, December 11, 2025 |url=https://understandingwar.org/research/middle-east/iran-update-december-11-2025/ |access-date=2026-01-13 |website=Institute for the Study of War |language=en-US}}</ref> The PFF announced that it seeks to restore and "protect the economic, political, cultural, and religious dignity" of Iranians and overthrow the "Velayat-e-Faqih regime", which refers to Iran.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UNHCR Web Archive |url=https://webarchive.archive.unhcr.org/20230519221624/https://www.refworld.org/docid/596c93364.html |access-date=7 October 2024 |website=United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-15 |title=Iran’s Baluch militants: From regional insurgency to national rhetoric |url=https://www.thegeopoliticaldesk.com/irans-baluch-militants-from-regional-insurgency-to-national-rhetoric/ |access-date=2026-03-05 |website=The Geopolitical Desk |language=en}}</ref>

The flag of the PFF is similar to flags of other Baloch nationalist groups, especially in Pakistan.<ref name=":0">{{cite tweet |number=1998778394461217197 |user=jmmfront |title=توضیح پرچم «جبهه مبارزین مردمی» سبز نماد امید ،قرمز مقاومت،سفید نماد صداقت و اتحاد، و هلال آبی برگرفته از فرهنگ سیستان و بلوچستان |date=December 10, 2025 |language=fa |trans-title=Explanation of the flag of the "People's Fighters' Front". Green symbolizes hope, red symbolizes resistance, white symbolizes honesty and unity, and the blue crescent is taken from the culture of Sistan and Balochistan.}}</ref> According to their own statement, green represents hope, red represents resistance and white represents honesty and unity while the blue crescent is a symbol of Balochi culture.<ref name=":0" />

==== Response to establishment ==== On 13 December 2025, after the group's formation, senior Brigadier General Ali Jahanshahi, the Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army's Ground Forces, appointed junior Brigadier General Abbas Malekizadeh as the new commander of the Ground Forces' Southeast Regional Headquarters in order to help counter the group after its formation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Iran Update, December 15, 2025 |url=https://www.criticalthreats.org/analysis/iran-update-december-15-2025 |access-date=2026-02-05 |website=Critical Threats}}</ref>

== Groups ==

* Jaysh al-Adl: founded in 2012 by former Jundallah members, there is very little known about the group. The group was founded and led by Salahuddin Farooqui who has opposed Iranian support for Syria in the Syrian Civil War. They have claimed responsibility for dozens of attacks since 2013, reportedly using guerrilla tactics, ambush methods, and remotely controlled IEDs and land mines.<ref name="NOREF">{{citation |author=Zia Ur Rehman |title=The Baluch insurgency: linking Iran to Pakistan |date=May 2014 |work=The Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Centre |url=http://www.peacebuilding.no/var/ezflow_site/storage/original/application/31c68a20991b5a98b0dece4fd929c9c8.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506160214/http://www.peacebuilding.no/var/ezflow_site/storage/original/application/31c68a20991b5a98b0dece4fd929c9c8.pdf |archive-date=6 May 2016 |url-status=dead |author-link=Zia Ur Rehman}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice) |url=http://www.trackingterrorism.org/group/jaish-al-adl-army-justice |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416040154/http://www.trackingterrorism.org/group/jaish-al-adl-army-justice |archive-date=2015-04-16 |access-date=2015-04-19 |publisher=Terrorism Research & Analysis Consortium}}</ref> Jaish-ul-Adl's founder and leader, {{ill|Salahuddin Farooqui|fa|صلاح‌الدین فاروقی}}, was killed in a joint-operation by Iran and Pakistan against it in late 2024.<ref name=":2">{{cite web |date=23 November 2024 |title=76 terrorists neutralized since start of ongoing IRGC drill in SE Iran |url=https://tehrantimes.com/news/506649/76-terrorists-neutralized-since-start-of-ongoing-IRGC-drill-in |work=Tehran Times}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2024-04-04 |title=Terror group says 12 members killed in joint Iran-Pakistan operation |url=https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/505983/Terror-group-says-12-members-killed-in-joint-Iran-Pakistan-operation |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=Tehran Times |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":03">{{Cite news |date=2024-12-03 |title=After Decades Of Mistrust, Iran And Pakistan Join Forces Against Militancy |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-iran-baluch-bla-balochistan-sistan/33216802.html |access-date=2025-05-30 |language=en|last=Siddique|first=Abubakar|work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Joint Statement Third Quadrilateral Meeting of Foreign Ministers of China, Iran, Pakistan, and Russia |url=https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/wjbzhd/202409/t20240930_11501285.html |access-date=27 September 2024 |publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{cite web |date=21 March 2019 |title=Pakistan rescues 4 Iranian border guards from Jaish al-Adl in Balochistan |url=https://thedefensepost.com/2019/03/21/pakistan-rescues-iran-soldiers-jaish-al-adl-balochistan/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191106100616/https://thedefensepost.com/2019/03/21/pakistan-rescues-iran-soldiers-jaish-al-adl-balochistan/ |archive-date=6 November 2019 |access-date=2 September 2019 |website=The Defense Post}}</ref> Farooqi's brother, Amir Naroui, was killed by the Taliban-led Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jaish al-Adl: A common foe draws Taliban and Tehran together |author=Mahbob Shah Mahbob |url=https://content.iranintl.com/jaish-al-adl-common-foe-taliban-tehran/ |access-date=2025-12-30 |website= Afghanistan International |language=en}}</ref> In the wake of the Twelve-Day War, Jaysh al-Adl reportedly called on the people of Balochistan to join the group.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan fears militants will thrive on restive border if Iran destabilised |url=https://wmbdradio.com/2025/06/19/pakistan-fears-militants-will-thrive-on-restive-border-if-iran-destabilised/ |access-date=2025-06-19 |website=1470 & 100.3 WMBD |language=en |agency=Reuters}}</ref> IRGC-affiliated media stated that Jaish al Adl had a special intelligence branch focused specifically on assassinating Sunni leaders within the Iranian government. A UN report stated that there was cooperation between ISKP and Jaish al-Adl, with ISIL-K providing suicide bombers to Jaish al-Adl for its operations, including those for an attack on military stations in Rask and Chabahar in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, which occurred on 2 April 2024.<ref name=":03" />

* Jaish al Nasr: militant organization that splintered from Jundallah in 2010 due to a dispute after Abdul Malik Rigi’s execution. Jaish al Nasr had merged with Jundallah's successor, Jaish al Adl, in 2016 after the 2014 assassination of Abdul Rauf Rigi (Jaish al Nasr's leader) by the Iranian IRGC's Quds Force in the city of Dalbandin in Pakistani Balochistan, according to local and Iranian media.<ref name=":03" /> * Pada Baloch Movement: founded in 2017, is anti-Iranian Baloch separatist group. There hadn't been any recent militant activity reported by the Pada Baloch Movement.<ref name=":03" /> * Mohammadur Rasool Allah Group: an Islamist Baloch militant group established in the mid-1970s during the 1970s operation in Balochistan. There hadn't been any recent militant activity reported by the Mohammadur Rasool Allah Group.<ref name=":03" />

== Operations == PFF claimed its first attack targeting Iranian security forces near Zahedan, Sistan and Baluchistan Province, on December 10. Haalvsh, a rights group in Sistan & Baluchestan, said that the PFF claimed responsibility in a statement posted overnight. The group said it targeted a convoy of the IRGC’s Imam Hossein battalion, which is part of the Salman Brigade. PFF fighters had killed four IRGC Ground Forces personnel near the Quds Operational Base in the Lar district of Baluchestan. The killed troops were also speculated to be from the Imam Hossein Battalions, a highly trained unit in the Basij paramilitary organization. A spokesman for the PFF said the attack was meant as retaliation for the role of security forces in suppressing residents in Sistan-Baluchestan. He added that the vehicle carrying the unit’s commander was struck and also that four security personnel were killed and several others wounded. Iranian state media initially reported three dead and three wounded but later stated that the number of security forces killed had increased to four. The human rights group Haalvsh said that local sources reported gunfire occurring as multiple IRGC vehicles were heading toward their base in the Lar area.<ref>{{Cite web |title=جبهه مبارزین مردمی |trans-title=People's Fighters' Front |url=https://t.me/jmmfront/14 |access-date=2026-03-08 |website=Telegram}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=جبهه مبارزین مردمی |trans-title=People's Fighters' Front |url=https://t.me/jmmfront/24 |access-date=2026-03-08 |website=Telegram}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{Cite web |date=2025-12-11 |title=Armed group claims deadly attack on Guards members in southeast Iran |url=https://www.iranintl.com/en/202512115893 |access-date=2025-12-11 |website=Iran International |language=en}}</ref>

=== 2025–2026 Iranian protests === {{Main|2025–2026 Iranian protests}}

The PFF originally announced its support for the nationwide protests in Iran, but that they would not participate within the protests.<ref>{{Cite web |title='People's Fighters Front' Of Sunni Jihadi Groups Says It Will Not Participate In Iran's Protests But Warns It Will 'Respond To Every Bullet Fired By The Oppressive Agents Of The Ruling Structure... In Tehran, Shiraz, Hamedan, Mashhad, And Other Places In Iran' |url=https://www.memri.org/jttm/peoples-fighters-front-sunni-jihadi-groups-says-it-will-not-participate-irans-protests-warns-it |access-date=2026-01-21 |website=MEMRI |language=en}}</ref>

On 7 January 2026, PFF militants killed Mahmoud Haqiqat, the police chief of Iranshahr.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-08 |title=Iran: Police officer shot dead in Iranshahr |url=https://caliber.az/en/post/iran-police-officer-shot-dead-in-iranshahr |access-date=2026-01-07 |website=caliber.az |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=خبرگاه؛ علی اردستانی به اتهام "جاسوسی" برای اسرائیل اعدام شد |url=https://www.dw.com/fa-ir/%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%87-%D8%B9%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B3%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%DB%8C%D9%84-%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%B4%D8%AF/live-75415031 |access-date=2026-01-07 |website=DW |language=fa}}</ref>

On 11 January 2026, PFF fighters killed one Law Enforcement Command officer and injured another in an attack on an LEC patrol vehicle in Dashtiari County, Sistan and Balochistan province.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bern |first=Stefaniia |date=2026-01-12 |title=Iran Update, January 11, 2026 |url=https://understandingwar.org/research/middle-east/iran-update-january-11-2026/ |access-date=2026-01-12 |website=Institute for the Study of War |language=en-US}}</ref>

== See also ==

* Baloch Raaji Aajoi Sangar - a united front of Baloch separatist groups aimed at a creation of a sovereign Balochistan that was formed in 2018. * Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan - a Kurdish nationalist alliance in Iranian Kurdistan that was formed in 2026.

== References == Category:Baloch nationalist militant groups Category:Militant opposition to the Islamic Republic of Iran Category:Sunni Islamist groups

<references />{{2025–2026 Iranian protests|state=collapsed}}{{Baloch nationalism}}{{2025–2026 Iranian protests}}