Organization: Iranian border forces kill 589 Kurdish porters in a decade

Shafaq News/ The past decade has seen a tragic toll on Kurdish porters at the Iranian border, with statistics revealing that 589 porters have been killed by gunfire from Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces.

Recent reports by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights indicate that in the first three months of 2024, 41 porters and workers lost their lives in eastern Kurdistan, with 292 others sustaining injuries due to direct fire from Iranian forces.

The situation has been particularly dire in 2023, labeled a "bloody year" for porters, as more than 341 were killed or injured, including minors under 18 years old.

On the other hand, Kurdpa Organization revealed that over the past 12 years, 1,617 porters have been injured, emphasizing that 87% of these casualties were a result of direct fire from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Shockingly, some porters have also faced physical abuse, comprising about 4% of the total injuries.

The report highlights specific regions around the Baneh city in the Iranian Kurdish province of Sanandaj witnessed the highest number of victims, accounting for approximately 49% of the total casualties, followed by the Nowsud region in Kermanshah province at 32%.

Qubad Karimpour, a member of the Supreme Council of Iranian Provinces, raised concerns about the education level of the victims, revealing that more than 50% of porters held bachelor's or master's degrees.