Another Report on the Situation of Kolbars in Iran; 299 Killed and Injured in 2023

The website 'Kolbar News' announced in its annual report that registered statistics show that in 2023, a total of 299 kolbars in border areas and inter-road routes of western provinces were killed and injured due to factors such as direct gunfire from military forces. The website, which covers news related to Kurdish regions and Kurdish activists, stated that incidents involving kolbars occurred in the provinces of West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, and Kermanshah, with a total of 32 kolbars killed and 267 injured. A notable point in this report is the direct gunfire from military forces, resulting in 261 incidents leading to the death and injury of kolbars. The report indicates that out of the 299 kolbars who were killed and injured, 30 were children under 18 years old. Previously, the Hengaw human rights organization reported that 333 kolbars were killed and injured during the previous year. Voice of America has recently addressed the problems and hardships faced by kolbars and fuel carriers and their families in a series of reports. Additionally, it has been reported that direct shooting at kolbars has intensified in the past year, and the statistics of the dead and injured confirm this issue. Human rights activists believe that most kolbars do not carry the prohibited items claimed by Iranian officials. Leila Marouti, a political analyst and collaborator with the Mukrian news agency, previously stated in an interview with Voice of America that she believes 'there is no will to solve the kolbar issue,' adding that 'kolbari is a result of the existing political, social, and economic inequalities in Kurdish regions and the entire country.' According to Marouti, the kolbari of children, teenagers, and young people, as well as Kurdish women and girls, is due to 'unequal distribution of wealth and resources,' especially 'after the revolution.' The Hengaw report on the human rights situation in Iran in 2023 noted the arrest of over 2,300 citizens and the execution of at least 823 prisoners. Ahmad Sadeghi, a 32-year-old kolbar, was killed by 'direct gunfire' from Iranian officials. Four kolbars were injured by 'direct gunfire' from Iranian border forces. Three fuel carriers in Saravan died due to a vehicle overturning. The Islamic Republic began the new Gregorian year with executions, while human rights organizations reported a high number of executions in the previous year.