HRANA News Agency – While the operation to stop illegal transportation of goods and fuel in the western regions of Iran is underway, traveling salesmen and vendors working in border towns in Kurdistan Province and Western Azerbaijan are being killed regularly.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), during the last fifteen days, Iranian security forces have killed seven citizens in these regions, injured seven and arrested a score of other individuals.
Detailed statistics related to the slaughter of traveling salesmen and vendors are as follows:
On June 20, 2011, Iranian security forces suspecting that a group of citizens living in border town in Qolqoqh region have illegal merchandize in their possession, opened fire on them and killed a Kurdish citizen identified by the name “Savarn” and injured another individual.
On the same day, along the Saveh-Tehran road, Iranian Special Forces Unit attempted to pursue a vehicle suspected of carrying illegal merchandize and shot at this car several times.During the chase, Esmail KarimpourHashem Shabaninejad, a citizen from the city of Saqqez in Kurdistan Province, was hit by a bullet and killed.
During the first few days following June 21, 2011, along the Elam-Andimeshk road, Iranian security forces placed a trap to catch a passenger vehicle suspected of carrying illicit merchandize.The driver of this car, Sharif Shafie, is a Kurdish citizen from the city of Kamyaran.Trying to escape, Sharif Shafie stopped his car and ran towards the surrounding grounds.Meanwhile, security forces opened fire at him, causing severe injuries to both of his legs.Sharif Shafie was then transferred to a hospital after being arrested by the police and treated violently.
During the same time, in the border region of Qandiel Mountains near the city of Sardasht, Iranian security forces opened fire on a Kurdish citizen identified by the name “Abdollah” and kill him.The police suspected that this citizen was carrying illegal merchandize.
On Friday night, June 24, 2011, in the region surrounding the village of Golini near the city of Sardasht, a young Kurdish citizen, Malmal Salehiyan, was killed by Iranian security forces.Malmal Salehiyan was a resident of Marah Qan Village.
On Saturday night, June 25, 2011, in the border region of Gillehshin near the city of Ashnoveh, Iranian security forces opened fire at two Kurdish citizens, kill Jamal Fatehi and injure Abrahim Talaqan.
On Tuesday, June 28, 2011, suspecting that a Kurdish citizen was carrying illicit merchandize, Iranian security forces from Belesan Checkpoint near the city of Baneh shot at a victim identified by the name “Sardar” and killed him.Sardar is survived by three children.
On Thursday, June 30, 2011, Iranian security forces raided the village of Abaraz near the city of Salmas in order to arrest a number of citizens.When faced with the residents’ resistance, the police opened fire at the people, severely injured three citizens and arrested a number of others.Esmat Alkhani, Sajad Mamedi and Parvane Auri were injured during this raid.
On Sunday, July 2, 2011, in the border regions of Chadarga near the city of Nosod, Iranian security forces confronted a group of border salesmen and opened fire at them.As a result, a Kurdish citizen identified by the name Vali was injured.This individual is a resident of Razav Village near the city of Sarvabad.
In another border region of Sardasht, another Kurdish citizen identified by the name “Salehi” was killed by the security forces.
Due to the fact that Iranian security forces operating in the border regions aren’t held responsible or prosecuted for opening fire on people, such killings are on the rise.