TEHRAN/KABUL: Iranian border forces shot dead six Afghan migrants allegedly attempting to cross into Iran through Sistan and Baluchestan province, according to reports on Wednesday.
Human rights group Halvash reported that the incident occurred on September 8 when nearly 300 Afghans tried to cross at the Golshan border crossing. The group said Iranian forces opened fire on around 120 of them, allegedly using rocket-propelled grenades, leaving six dead and several injured. At least 40 others were detained during the operation.
Survivors identified some of the injured as Ehsanullah Tajik, Nasrullah Barkzai, Hezbullah Barkzai, Wai Barkzai, and Basheer Ahmad Barkzai. Many of the wounded were shifted to local hospitals, with reports that some remain in critical condition.
Neither the Iranian authorities nor the Afghan government have issued an official statement on the reported killings.
This is not the first such incident. In October 2024, dozens of Afghan migrants were killed, injured, or went missing after Iranian forces opened fire along the border. Human rights groups have repeatedly accused Iran of excessive force against migrants trying to enter the country illegally.
Iran hosts one of the largest Afghan refugee populations in the world. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), around 780,000 Afghan refugees are registered in Iran, though Iranian estimates place the number of Afghans living in the country at 2.6 million.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says Iran has intensified its deportations, sending back more than 1.5 million Afghan nationals in 2025 alone. Observers warn that ongoing border crackdowns, coupled with Afghanistan’s economic collapse under Taliban rule, are worsening the humanitarian crisis facing Afghan migrants and refugees.
