WEB DESK
At least 260 Afghan migrants were killed on Sunday evening after Iranian border guards allegedly opened fire on them near the Kalgan border crossing, a claim Tehran has vehemently denied.
According to reports from Haalvsh, an Iranian-based human rights organization, the incident occurred as a group of approximately 300 migrants attempted to cross into Iran,
Haalvsh said “On Sunday evening, dozens of Afghan citizens were targeted by direct fire and RPGs by the Iranian military forces who were ambushed in advance at the Kalgan-Saravan border. As a result, dozens of these migrants were killed and dozens more injured,” the organization stated.
According to images provided by the survivors of the alleged massacre, many migrants were shot multiple times.
Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, said that Tehran has conducted its investigation into the reports of “dozens of illegal citizens” of Afghanistan being killed on the border and that it had found no evidence to support their validity.
Qomi went on to reiterate that Tehran will not cease deportations of undocumented Afghans, saying: “The Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to return the illegal asylum seekers and deal legally with their illegal entry at all border points.”
