KABUL, Afghanistan — Families of Afghan citizens reportedly shot by Iranian border guards are calling on the international community to hold the perpetrators accountable, as some relatives say they still do not know whether their loved ones are dead or alive.
The human rights organization HAVL-VSh reported that Iranian forces fired on a group of Afghan migrants attempting to cross the border into Iran, leaving dozens dead or wounded. The migrants, many fleeing Afghanistan’s severe economic crisis, were reportedly trying to enter Iran via unofficial routes in search of work.
The Afghan Embassy in Tehran confirmed that it is investigating the incident but has not provided additional details. Family members of the victims, however, have shared harrowing accounts of loss and uncertainty. Mohammad Nasir, a father from Panjshir, said his only son was killed while attempting to reach Iran for employment. “Due to poverty and unemployment, my son had no choice but to go to Iran. Now he’s dead,” Nasir said. “We urge the international community to seek justice for this crime.”
Other families have been left in agonizing limbo, unsure of the fate of their loved ones. Khalsa, a woman from Kabul, said it has been nearly a week since she last spoke with her son, who was part of a group of around 300 people heading for Iran. “We don’t know if he’s alive or dead. In Iran, people disappear. They are beaten, thrown into trucks, and sent back. Why is this happening to us?” she said.
One survivor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the harrowing moments when Iranian border guards opened fire, even targeting women. “We had barely crossed into Iran. It was dark. They signaled us, and then they started shooting,” he said. “I begged them not to shoot the women, but they didn’t listen. They killed women, young people—our people.”
The incident has drawn widespread condemnation, including from the United Nations special rapporteur for Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, who has called for a thorough and transparent investigation. The Afghan government, meanwhile, is under pressure to secure answers for families who are demanding justice amid the tragedy.
