KABUL (SW) – The Islamic Emirate has announced the formation of a committee to investigate reports regarding the shooting of Afghan migrants by Iranian border guards, which have circulated widely in the media over the past two days.
The committee, chaired by Mohammad Ebrahim Sadr, the Deputy Minister for Security Affairs at the Ministry of Interior, includes representatives from the Ministries of Defense, Interior, Foreign Affairs, Borders, Borders and Tribal Affairs, as well as the General Directorate of Intelligence.
The Islamic Emirate authorities stated that they will make decisions based on the findings of this investigation.
Hamdullah Fetrat, deputy spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, has said in this regard: “This committee has been tasked with conducting a thorough investigation and sharing the results with the Prime Minister’s office for necessary actions. The committee has been working diligently over the past few days and is striving to clarify the situation and inform the citizens of the country as soon as possible.”
Iranian officials have denied the allegations of their border forces shooting at Afghan migrants, deeming these reports “inaccurate”. Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s special envoy for Afghanistan, and Reza Shojaie, the commander of Iran’s border forces, have both rejected claims of Afghan migrants being shot by Iranian border guards.
In light of this situation, some experts, highlighting the history of violence against Afghan migrants in Iran, assert that Iran must be held accountable under international law.
Abdul Shakur Dadras, an expert in international law, said, “Whatever the case, if you had evidence, you should have taken them to court. Unfortunately, they acted without a court ruling, and thus this crime has no legal defense under international law.”
Meanwhile, due to economic challenges and high unemployment rates in Afghanistan, Iran remains a primary destination for Afghan citizens seeking better life opportunities.
Despite the risks of injury or death during their journey to Iran, many still choose to embark on this perilous path.
Abdul Qader, an Afghan citizen currently in Herat, expressed, “I want to migrate for a better life, to bring some change to my situation, and to find a little money.”
Similarly, Aryan, another Afghan resident in Herat planning to migrate to Iran, shared with Salam Watandar that the circumstances of unemployment and economic hardship have pushed him toward this difficult decision. “I will go to Iran or Pakistan, wherever I can find work.”
Reports of shootings by Iranian border guards against Afghan migrants have sparked reactions from political figures in Afghanistan, as well as, international personalities.
Among them, Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, emphasized that this incident must be transparently investigated.
