Security forces in northwestern and southeastern Iran shot and killed two Kurd border porters in the past four days.
Border security forces shot a border porter or “kolbar” in Salmas County in Iran’s northwestern region yesterday. According to the Hengaw website, he was identified as 41-year-old Farzad Saaduzadeh, married and father of three. He was killed by border security forces who opened fire without warning. Farzad died in the hospital and his body has yet to be handed over to his family.
On December 3, a Kurd man transferring fuel in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, southeastern Iran was also killed by the Islamic Revolutinary Guards Corps (IRGC).
According to the Hengaw Organization, Behzad Mohammadi was driving his car when he was shot in the head. Behzad was working as a driver transferring fuel to make a living.
There are almost daily reports of police and border guards opening fire on Kurd border porters in western Iran and civilians carrying fuel in southeastern Iran. Iranian security forces carry out these shootings with impunity.
Iran border porters or kolbars are workers who are hired to carry heavy loads across the border for a meager pay. Due to the lack of economic development, increasing poverty and unemployment in western Iran, more and more Iranians are forced to take up this dangerous and harsh occupation. The regime categorizes kolbars as “smugglers” and routinely shoots and kills them.
If not killed by security forces, kolbars die from avalanches, falling off mountains, hyperthermia, and hypothermia.
According to Hengaw, from 2016 to July 2020, at least 937 Kurd kolbars were injured or killed.
Many kolbars are university graduates and several are national athletes who have been forced into the life-threatening job for a meager pay.
