Islamic Republic Border Forces Shot at Two Kolbers After Their Arrest

The Kurdistan Human Rights Network reported that the Islamic Republic's border forces shot at two kolbers from close range with a shotgun after their arrest. According to the report, the two kolbers from Mahabad, named 'Yousef' and 'Farzad', were arrested by the Islamic Republic's border forces on Friday, February 9, in the border area of 'Hengejal' in Baneh, and after being tortured, were shot at from a few meters away with a shotgun, resulting in injuries. This source indicated that this is the third instance of shooting at kolbers during their arrest by the Islamic Republic's border forces occurring in the Baneh border areas over the past two weeks. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network added that after injuring Yousef and Farzad in the legs, the forces left them behind. Meanwhile, Yousef, who was hit by dozens of bullets in the leg, was transferred to 'Salah al-Din Ayyubi' Hospital in Baneh. The human rights network reported that on February 29, the border forces had previously ambushed and attacked passing kolbers in the same area. One of the kolbers, named Behnam Sharifian from Saqez, was arrested and severely injured after being tortured at the border post. The border forces had asked this kolber to contact emergency services and report that he was injured, and then shot him in the leg from close range with a shotgun. Meanwhile, the human rights organization 'Hengaw' reported on Saturday that in recent days, at least five kolbers from the cities of Baneh, Mahabad, and Saqez were injured by direct gunfire from the Islamic Republic's border forces while carrying goods at the Baneh border. Kolbari is prevalent in the western border areas and fuel carrying in the eastern border areas of Iran, with underdevelopment and high unemployment rates in these regions cited as major contributing factors. According to Hengaw's report, at least 50 kolbers, including six child kolbers, were killed or injured last month. The report states that 46 of these kolbers were killed or injured due to 'direct gunfire' from government agents of the Islamic Republic. A young kolber died from frostbite. Hengaw: 50 kolbers in Iran were killed or injured in a month. Sadegh Mirzaei, a 40-year-old kolber, was killed by gunfire from the Islamic Republic's border forces. Difficult times for kolbers; 17 kolbers were killed or injured in 15 days. Another report on the situation of kolbers in Iran; 299 people were killed or injured in 2023.