Iran’s Kurdish Ilam denies evacuation orders near Iraq border
Shafaq News- Tehran
Authorities in Iran’s Kurdish Ilam province on Wednesday dismissed reports of evacuation orders for cities near the Iraqi border as “baseless rumors,” following recent US and Israeli strikes across the country.
Governor Ahmad Karmi, in remarks carried by Tasnim News Agency, affirmed that conditions across the province remain normal and urged residents to rely on official sources. He announced the highest level of readiness among police units, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Basij forces, and border guards, noting that security and military units maintain full control while border areas remain stable.
On preliminary damage estimates from recent US and Israeli strikes, Karmi indicated that about 8,500 residential and commercial buildings were affected across the province.
The United States and Israel launched strikes on Iranian targets on February 28, causing extensive destruction, civilian casualties, and the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several senior commanders from the IRGC. Iran later carried out retaliatory actions affecting Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) estimated that more than 1,262 civilians, including at least 200 children, have died since hostilities began, along with 190 military personnel and 335 additional victims whose status remains unclassified. Iran’s Health Ministry reported that over 15,000 people have been injured, with 12,495 discharged from hospitals, while the confirmed death toll has exceeded 1,300, most of them civilians.
