The Taliban authorities have launched an investigation into reports that Iranian border forces killed and injured dozens of Afghan civilians attempting to enter Iran illegally from Pakistan. The incident, which took place on Sunday in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan province, has sparked concern over the treatment of Afghan migrants.
Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesperson for the Taliban government, announced on Wednesday that “various governmental bodies” and Afghan diplomatic missions are conducting “comprehensive investigations” into the reported deaths and injuries. However, the details are yet to be confirmed.
The probe follows an initial report from Halvash, an Iranian rights group, which claimed that Iranian guards had attacked a group of 300 Afghan migrants attempting to cross the border. The assault resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries.
Iranian authorities have denied the allegations of large-scale killings. Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s special envoy and ambassador to Kabul, issued a statement on X, rejecting reports of dozens of deaths. He referenced the Saravan border region, which lies adjacent to Washuk district in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province, as the site of the alleged incident.
“As of now, reliable sources confirm that the news about the deaths of dozens of illegal citizens at the Saravan border is not true,” Qomi said. He stressed that every country has the right to respond “legally” to unauthorized border crossings and warned that Iranian guards are obliged to prevent illegal entries.
Qomi also emphasized the importance of shared responsibility in border management, urging Afghanistan and Pakistan to fulfill their obligations to prevent such crossings. He reiterated that Tehran is determined to return undocumented asylum seekers and deal firmly with illegal migrants.
Border Tragedy
Locals in Pakistan’s Washuk district have also reported hearing about the attack, though they could not provide specific casualty figures due to the remoteness of the area. Pakistani authorities have so far not issued any comments on the matter.
Manzoor Pashteen, leader of Pakistan’s Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), condemned the violence against Afghan migrants, calling out the hypocrisy of Iran. “Iran opposes the ongoing oppression of Muslims in Palestine and Lebanon. But on the other hand, even today, hundreds of Afghan Muslims have been martyred with great oppression. This is injustice,” Pashteen said.
He criticized the continuation of such incidents, demanding an end to violence against Afghans. “These incidents have been happening for a long time and should be prevented. Everyone should raise their voices to reach the authorities of Iran to stop oppressing Afghans and take action against the perpetrators of this incident,” Pashteen added.
Iran and Pakistan currently host millions of Afghan refugees, both documented and undocumented, with many fleeing hardship and persecution following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Deportations of undocumented individuals from both countries have continued at a steady pace.
According to the International Organization for Migration, nearly 100,000 Afghans were deported from Iran and Pakistan in September alone. Humanitarian organizations warn that deportees often face dire conditions upon their return, adding to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.