Iranian security forces and the revolutionary guards continue their unprecedented wave of arrests against young Arabs in al-Ahwaz and other Arab cities, with the number of arrests reaching 800 people including five women, according to The Ahwaz Human Rights organization (AHRO).

The AHRO statement mentioned that among the detainees are civil society activists and regular citizens.

The arrests happened in a number of cities including Ahwaz, Muhammarah, Abadan, Khafajiyah, and Shush.

The organization also said that an Alawite neighborhood is being completely besieged by police and security forces since Thursday evening, as reported by local activists.

The names of the women detained were published by the AHRO, and they are: Amina Thahiri (23), Nassima Siwari (65), Lamia Hamadi (21), Zawdiya Afrawi (55), and Qaisiya Afrawi (60).

The wave of arrests started following an armed attack on the military parade that happened in Ahwaz on Sep 22, according to the statement, despite the security authorities announcing the arrest of 22 locals accused of being connected to the attackers whose actions were claimed by ISIS.

Al Arabiya English