KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Taliban authorities in western Herat province confirmed that at least three Afghan citizens have died from extreme cold while attempting to cross illegally into Iran.
Mohammad Yousuf Saeedi, spokesperson for the Taliban governor in Herat, said the bodies of three individuals were recovered in the border areas of Kohsan district on Friday, and that further searches are underway to determine if more migrants have perished.
Meanwhile, Local media outlet TOLOnews, citing sources in the area, reported a significantly higher death toll, with at least 30 bodies discovered amid heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures over the past two days.
Thousands of Afghans continue to take these perilous routes to reach Iran in search of work and better living conditions, despite the severe risks, including exposure to extreme weather and encounters with border security. Migrants often face harsh treatment by Iranian border guards, which has in some cases resulted in fatalities.
On November 30, at least 12 Afghan migrants were killed when they came under fire from Iranian border guards while trying to cross into Iran, according to local sources. In recent months, the Taliban have also detained hundreds of Afghan citizens trying to migrate illegally to Iran.
The incidents come amid ongoing mass deportations of Afghan migrants from Iran. Iranian authorities say more than 1.8 million Afghans have been deported via the Islam Qala crossing in Herat province so far this year.
