KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Amnesty International has called for an immediate, transparent, and independent investigation into the killing of dozens of Afghan migrants by Iranian border guards near the Iran-Pakistan border.
In a statement on Thursday, October 17, the international rights group emphasized the need for an effective investigation into the incident and for the perpetrators to be held accountable.
“A report by Haalvsh, a Baluchi human rights organization, that on 13 Oct Iran’s security forces indiscriminately shot at scores of Afghan individuals at the Pakistan-Iran border is horrifying, as is any denial of adequate health care in Iran and Pakistan to those injured,” Amnesty International said.
“This latest incident comes over two years since amnesty first documented unlawful force deployed by Iran’s security forces against Afghans fleeing to Iran after the Taliban takeover of August 2021, resulting in unlawful killings and serious injuries,” it added.
The incident occurred on Sunday, October 13, in the Savaran region of Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan province, where Iranian border guards opened fire on Afghan migrants attempting to cross into Iran, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries.
An Iran-based rights group, Haalvsh, reported earlier that out of approximately 300 Afghan migrants who were allegedly ambushed and attacked by Iranian forces, only 50 to 60 people survived the assault.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage and concern both domestically and internationally, with calls for a thorough investigation into the matter.
Earlier, the UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, and the US Special Envoy for Afghan Women and Human Rights, Rina Amiri, called for an investigation and accountability.
Iranian officials have denied the allegations, with Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, calling the reports “untrue.” He emphasized that countries have the right to take legal action against illegal entries and reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to returning undocumented refugees and preventing illegal border crossings.
The Taliban authorities have said that they are investigating the incident and will take appropriate action once the facts are established.
