Iran's fencing champion abducted

Iran's fencing champion Hamed Sedaqati has been abducted in the southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province, semi-official Fars news agency reported on Saturday. Sedaqati and two of his friends were driving on Khash-Iranshahr road to the provincial capital city of Zahedan on Friday when they came under attack by unknown assailants, the report said. Sedaqati and one of his friends were abducted, while the other friend of his was killed by the assailants, according to local officials. Investigations are underway. Hamed Sedaqati won the third place in Asian championship in 2006. In February the Pakistan-based Jaish Al-Adl Sunni rebel group from Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan province abducted five border guards. They killed one of them in March and released the rest four in April. The group has also claimed responsibility for a deadly attack last October in a mountainous area near Saravan city, also in Sistan and Baluchestan province that borders Pakistan. At least 14 border guards were killed in that attack. The group said it's fighting for the rights of Sunni Baluch minority in Iran. Sistan and Baluchestan province, mostly populated by Sunni Muslims, has been the scene of bloody clashes between the Sunni rebels and the Iranian security forces.