Iranian Border Guards Kill 11 Afghan Nationals, Hand Over Bodies to Taliban

Iranian border guards have reportedly killed 11 Afghan nationals in the Sistan and Baluchistan provinces of Iran. According to local sources, the Iranian authorities handed over the dead bodies to Taliban officials at the Nimroz border crossing on Friday. The Afghan nationals were killed four days ago when they were trying to enter Iran illegally. Sources claim that the deceased were mostly below 20 years of age, including two who were believed to be 18 years old.

So far, neither the Iranian nor the Taliban authorities have commented on the matter. However, Taliban authorities in Nimroz province have claimed that more than 470 dead bodies of Afghan refugees have been transferred to the country in the past eleven months through this province. Last week, a video went viral showing some Afghan refugees claiming that Iranian forces fired on their vehicle in Baluchistan, resulting in one of them being injured.

With the return of the Taliban to power and the rise in poverty and unemployment, many Afghan citizens have migrated to neighboring countries, including Iran and Pakistan, fearing death threats and persecution by the Taliban. This border killing adds to the already tense situation in the region, where human rights concerns are increasing.