Hengaw: 57 Kurdish porters killed, 282 injured in Iran in 2024

Shafaq News/ Fifty-seven Kurdish porters, known locally as kolbars, were killed and 282 others injured in Iran in 2024, the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights reported on Thursday.

The report highlighted that "80% of the fatalities and injuries were caused by direct attacks carried out by Iranian security forces."

Other incidents resulted from landmine explosions and avalanches.

Kolbars, often working in perilous conditions along the rugged Iran-Iraq border, transport goods in search of livelihood opportunities. However, they frequently encounter life-threatening risks, including security crackdowns and environmental hazards.

"The dangers faced by kolbars are immense. Many are forced into this hazardous work due to economic hardship, despite the known risks," Hengaw stated.

Notably, the Statistics Center of the Kurdpa Human Rights Organization documented that between 2012 and 2023, at least 2,206 kolbars were killed or injured. Among them, 589 lost their lives, while 1,617 sustained injuries.