Human Rights
Mass killing of Afghan migrants by Iranian guards sparks outrage
More than 200 Afghan migrants were gunned down while trying to cross the border.
A mass killing of Afghan migrants in Sistan and Baluchestan province by Iranian border forces has sparked outrage among both Afghans and Iranians. [Emran/Pishtaz]
By Emran |
A mass killing of Afghan migrants at the Iran-Pakistan border in Sistan and Baluchestan province by Iranian border forces has sparked outrage among both Afghans and Iranians.
Iranian border forces on October 13 opened fire on about 300 Afghans attempting to cross into Iran from Pakistan.
While official casualty numbers remain undisclosed, the human rights organization Haalvsh reported that 260 Afghan migrants were killed, with numerous others wounded.
Graphic images on social media show bloodied victims and survivors.
![Afghan migrants February 17, 2022, in Nimroz province walk toward the Iranian border. [Wakil Kohsar/AFP]](/gc3/images/2024/10/23/47940-000_324e2ty-370_237.webp)
"We were ambushed at the Kala Gan border area," a survivor said in an online video.
"There were 300 of us, and nearly 270 to 280 were killed. Maybe 50 to 60 managed to escape, while the rest were martyred. Ten to 12 of my friends were among those lost," he added.
Iranian border forces fired both light and heavy weapons, said eyewitnesses.
Crime against humanity
The attack clearly represents a crime against humanity, said Javad, an Iranian human rights activist based in Zahedan.
"Afghans come to Iran to make a living and escape unemployment and hardship. The group of migrants who were attacked were in this same situation," Javad told Pishtaz.
"This incident is extremely shocking, and those responsible must be brought to justice," he said.
The migrants wanted solely to provide for their families, and world human rights organizations must investigate, he added.
The killing of hundreds of innocent women, men and children who had sought refuge in Iran could come only from a criminal and oppressive regime, said Ismail, another resident of Zahedan.
"The security forces of this [Iranian] government have not only massacred Afghans but have always killed Iranians as well," he said.
"We have not suffered any harm from Afghan migrants in our country. ... [T]hey do extremely hard jobs day and night just to provide for their families," he added.
The incident has drawn criticism from the international community.
The rights of migrants and refugees are protected by international law and should not be subjected to attack, Farhan Haq, a spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, said.
Amnesty International called for the prosecution of those responsible for shooting at Afghan migrants.
The Iranian regime will not change, moderate or reform itself, Australian senator Claire Chandler said after the massacre.
"It's a murderous and barbaric regime which knows that the compulsion of western officials to negotiate with them protects them against real action and consequences for their repeated human rights abuses and terrorism," Chandler said on X October 16.
Anyone who falsely presents himself as a witness is not Iranian and is not even a human being. Moreover, the false foundation of this lie is that it is big, and if it was mentioned much less, it might be possible to think that something happened, and if it really was a murder, why are they still coming towards Iran.
Javad was wrong to say this, is Iran a "shelter" to let every ungrateful and traitor Afghan enter Iran?!! Secondly, when these same Afghans touch the properties and honors of the Iranian nation and show the maximum levels of betrayal and ingratitude to the owner of the house, where the hell is Javad?" "We the Iranian nation do not want Afghans in Iran no matter if they have permit or not.” A foreigner is a foreigner and does not care about our homeland. (Afghans were not loyal to their own country, let alone the scared land of Iran)
They were the army of cruelty, not hardworking workers. Terrorists from Pakistan.
It seems that you are a terrorist site and are fed by criminal organizations such as CIA, Mossad and MI6. Whoever you are, I advise you to change this inhuman way. Find a decent job. It is not good for a person to trample his honor for money. Remember God. Come out from under Satan's flag. The devil misleads you and forces you to commit crimes and then laughs at your stupidity and ignorance and is happy and proud of himself that you have ruined a few more of Adam's children. Do not be fooled by the propaganda. Repent and move towards God. God is kind and may forgive you. You should not despair of God's grace. Whoever you are, and whatever your religion and whatever your nationality, this message is for you. Spreading false news and causing disparity among nations is the work of Satan. Stay away from Satan and save yourself. If you are a Jew or a Christian or a Buddhist or a Muslim or even if you are an atheist, you are the audience of this message. Return to humanity and honesty. The doors of repentance are open to you as long as you are alive, but you do not know how long your life will last. So repent while you are alive and beware of spreading hatred and lies and spreading crime.
ok
America made Afghanistan miserable and this bloodthirsty and barbaric government came to power. Contrary to what we think that America is a defender of human rights, it is exactly anti-human. The Afghan people used to have peace; could they come to power without America's help. They are so stupid that when they enter Iran they commit so many strange crimes that force [Iranians] not to let them enter. I swear to God if they enter, they kill or expel us. After all, what is the country’s border for? It’s one of our rights to prevent them from entering in order to prevent our children from being killed. Whoever empathizes with them can do something essential for them.
Why don't they come legally? Imagine, in any other country, 300 people approaching your border and not paying attention to the warnings. What do you think the border soldier of that country should do?
These words come from individuals and networks who are against the people of Iran and Afghanistan. People of Afghanistan are respected in Iran.
It was such a nonsense. The Afghans must have done something because of which the border guards have attacked them.
That reporter has been way out of line and has been talking nonsense saying things like that.
Yes I like it.
Several decades have passed since the illegal immigration of Afghan immigrants to Iran, and the Iranians, considering the many economic problems, still generously welcome their Afghan brothers and sisters, now we are really not able to maintain this number of refugees or immigrants, neither in terms of security nor economy. It would be better if international organizations reached out to the respectable people of Afghanistan and avoid sowing discord.