KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, has raised serious concerns over reports that dozens of Afghan migrants were killed by Iranian border guards near the Saravan region.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Bennett called for immediate clarification, urging authorities to launch an investigation.
“I’m seriously concerned about reports of injuries and deaths of Afghans in Iran’s Saravan border area and I call for authorities to investigate transparently,” Bennett wrote. “More dignity and safety are needed for Afghans worldwide.”
Afghanistan’s UN representation, alongside various Afghan political groups, has echoed calls for a thorough investigation and accountability measures into the incident.
The Iran-based human rights group Haalvsh had reported that Iranian border guards shot and killed at least 260 Afghan migrants as they attempted to cross into Iran on October 13. The group claims that approximately 300 refugees were ambushed while trying to enter the country illegally.
Haalvsh also released videos purportedly showing the bodies of those killed, alleging that the refugees were targeted not only with gunfire but also with RPG attacks. KabulNow has obtained images of the dead and wounded, mostly young men, but has not been able to independently verify the casualty figures.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage both in Afghanistan and internationally.
Iranian officials, however, have denied the allegations. Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, dismissed the reports as “untrue.” He emphasized that countries have the right to take legal action against illegal entries and reiterated Iran’s commitment to returning undocumented refugees and preventing illegal border crossings.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has stated that the group will investigate the incident and take appropriate action once the facts are established.