In yet another display of heavy-handedness, Iranian forces have shot and killed two unarmed Baloch youths in the border area of Shamsar. The victims, identified as Naveed, son of Abdeen, and Rasheed, son of Nawab—both residents of Haqabad Ziarat—were gunned down without provocation. Reportedly, the Iranian Mersad forces opened fire directly on the two youths around 4 p.m., once again highlighting the alarming levels of state-sanctioned violence against the Baloch people.
This incident is not isolated but part of a broader pattern of oppression against the Baloch community in Iran, particularly in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. In September 2022, at least 17 children were killed by Iranian forces in the region, with 15 people permanently losing their eyesight due to brutal crackdowns. These figures serve as a grim reminder of the Iranian regime’s continued targeting of the marginalized Baloch population.
One of the most notorious incidents occurred on September 30, 2022, when Iranian security forces opened fire on protesters in Zahedan. In a violent crackdown, later dubbed “Bloody Friday“, security forces shot at worshipers during Friday prayers at the Jameh Mosque of Makki, killing more than 100 people and injuring many more. The massacre left dozens of families mourning their loved ones and shattered the already fragile peace in the region.
This escalating violence has exacerbated tensions between Iran and Pakistan, with January’s missile strikes. Pakistan, in response, recalled its ambassador to Tehran, refused to allow Iran’s envoy to return to Islamabad, and cancelled all high-level diplomatic and trade engagements. The rocky relations between the two nations have only worsened, with Iran’s continued aggression fueling instability in border areas where the Baloch people live under constant threat.