A Young Kolber Shot Dead by Islamic Republic Forces at the Baneh Border

Human rights sources report that a young kolber was shot dead early Thursday, May 17, by direct gunfire from armed agents of the Islamic Republic at the Henghajjal border in Baneh. Hrana, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, identified the kolber as Vahid Qarpour, a resident of one of the villages in the Saqqez region. Ata Rostampour, a 40-year-old kolber from Saqqez, was also killed ten days prior by direct gunfire from armed agents of the Islamic Republic at the same border point. The Henghajjal border in Baneh was the scene of a deadly shooting by armed agents of the Islamic Republic two weeks ago, resulting in the death of a 43-year-old kolber named Jalal Sohrabi, who was married and a father of two. According to statistics from the human rights network 'Kolbarnews' in the Iranian year 1402, 444 kolbers in border areas and inter-road routes of West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, and Kermanshah provinces were killed or injured due to factors such as direct gunfire from regime military forces, avalanches, frostbite, stepping on landmines, falls from mountains and heights, and other causes. Kolbarnews reported that 373 of the injured or deceased last year, or 84% of them, were targeted by 'direct gunfire' from armed agents of the Islamic Republic. Additionally, 37 of the total 444 kolber victims last year were children under 18 years old. The Hengaw Human Rights Organization reported that three kolbers were arrested and tortured in the Baneh area, four kolbers were injured due to 'direct gunfire' from Islamic Republic agents in Uraman, and six kolbers in Kurdistan province were killed or injured after falling from mountains. Shovane Ahmadpour, a married kolber, was killed by 'direct gunfire' from Islamic Republic agents. A 15-year-old kolber died from frostbite at the 'Mishaw' border in Saqqez. A human rights organization reported that one kolber was killed due to unprovoked gunfire from border guards in Kermanshah.