TEHRAN, Dec 13: Iranian police on Thursday killed 12 persons suspected of terrorist activities and detained five others in a shootout in the south-eastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, the state television reported.

The TV report said police were pursuing a group of “counter-revolutionaries who planned sabotage, ethnic disputes and bombings across the country”, clashed with them and killed their leader and 11 others near the town of Iranshahr, about 1,600 kilometres southeast of Tehran.

The report said police also confiscated a “remarkable” amount of explosive materials, bombs and weaponry at the clash site.

Gen Mohammad Ghaffari, the province’s police chief, told the TV the suspects were members of Jundallah, or God’s Brigade, a group that has been connected to previous attacks on Iranian troops.

Mr Ghaffari said the police also detained five members of the group during the clash. He said the group planned to launch “terrorist activities in coordination with foreigners soon” but did not elaborate.—AP