On Thursday, October 14, a kolbar was killed by the direct shooting of military forces in border areas near Sardasht.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Kurdpa, on Thursday, the man has been identified as Jian Ali-Pour, a resident of a village in County Sardasht. He was married with two children. According to this report, the military forces shot him dead without any warning beforehand.

Many poor people living in border areas turn to this illegal work and carry loads on foot through borders to make ends meet. Yearly, dozens of kolbars are injured and killed from accidents, dangerous conditions, and border guard shootings.

HRANA’s annual human rights report has specifically documented cases in which military forces’ use of live ammunition against citizens has led to their injury or death.

According to the 2020 report, other than material damages like loss of pack animals due to road accidents, frost, or avalanche, 36 cross-border laborers (kolbars) have been shot dead, and 109 have been injured by military forces and border guards.