2 militants, 2 guards killed in shootout in Iran’s west

TEHRAN, Iran – The semi-official Fars new agency is reporting that members of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard have killed two gunmen trying to infiltrate the country through the border with Turkey.

Fars said two Iranian guards were also killed in the skirmish Tuesday in the northwestern province of Azerbaijan.

The report said Iranian forces confiscated a large number of weapons, explosives and communication systems.

Fars said the clash took place in the northwestern province of West Azerbaijan.

The area has seen occasional fighting between Iranian forces and Kurdish separatists as well as militants linked to the extremist Islamic State group.

Iran’s eastern borders have also been the scene of occasional clashes between Baluch militants.