Twelve of his family were slain by a man in a rare mass shooting in southern Iran on Saturday, according to official media.

The official IRNA news agency cited provincial chief judge Ebrahim Hamidi as stating, "A 30-year-old man, motivated by a family dispute, killed 12 members of his family, including has father and brother, with a Kalashnikov weapon near the town of Faryab," in Kerman province.

According to the agency, the individual was shot and killed by security personnel who were attempting to apprehend him.

In Iran, where owning a hunting rifle is the sole legal possession, mass shootings are uncommon.

At least five more troops were killed when an army conscript opened fire inside a military camp in the same area in January, and the perpetrator then fled.

End//voice7news.tv