UN Calls For Investigation Into Mass Murder Of Afghan Migrants In Border Area

Iran's border crossing with Afghanistan (Wikimedia Commons/Sgt.mencuruh S VanderSchans/US Marine Corps)

JAKARTA - The United Nations (UN) mission in Afghanistan on Thursday called for an investigation into reports of a shooting of a large group of Afghan migrants on the Afghan-Iran border.

Afghan media including Tolo News, citing witnesses, said more than 200 Afghan migrants entering Iran were illegally attacked in Iranian territory, causing dozens of people to be killed and injured.

Tolo News quoted Iranian human rights organizations as saying the country's border guards had attacked migrants.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a statement "deep concern over a disturbing report of an incident from October 14 to 15, in Sistan Province, Sarbaz District, the Kala Gan border area of Iran, on charges of a large group of Afghan migrants being fired upon, resulting in deaths and injuries," Reuters reported October 18.

The statement did not state who might have carried out the alleged attack.

UNAMA called for an "integrated and transparent" investigation into the alleged incident, stressing that the rights of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are protected by international law.

Meanwhile, Afghan authorities were unable to confirm the incident as it occurred "beyond the Afghan border," deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said in a statement.

He said a high-level delegation with officials from the interior, foreign and defense ministries had begun investigations and would submit reports after the facts were clear.

Separately, Iran's Ambassador to Afghanistan, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, denied reports of "the deaths of dozens of illegal nationals" in an upload on X.

Thousands of Afghans fled their country in 2021, when the Taliban took power after the withdrawal of US-led Western troops from conflict for 20 years.

Iran and Pakistan are home to millions of Afghan migrants, but both have taken firm action against refugees within their borders.