In a tragic incident near the border with the Kurdistan Region, Iranian border guards have fatally shot a 35-year-old kolbar, as reported by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights on Saturday.

The victim, identified as Peyman Ahmedi, fell victim to indiscriminate firing by Iranian border guards as he was among a group of kolbars operating near Nowsud in Kermanshah province, along the border with the Kurdistan Region. This marks the first recorded death of a kolbar in the Iranian new year, which commenced earlier this week.

Ahmedi's family has yet to receive his body, according to the report issued by Hengaw.

Kolbars, semi-legal porters responsible for transporting untaxed goods across the Kurdistan Region-Iran border, and sometimes the Iran-Turkey border, face constant peril from Iranian border guards and occasionally succumb to natural disasters.

The profession of kolbars often arises from economic necessity and a dearth of alternative employment opportunities, particularly in Iran's economically disadvantaged Kurdish provinces.

Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the Paris-based Kurdistan Human Rights Network disclosed in its annual report for 2023 that a total of 29 kolbars lost their lives last year, with at least 19 of them falling victim to Iranian border guards.

The Hengaw Organization estimated that in 2023 alone, 33 kolbars lost their lives, with 176 others sustaining injuries due to direct fire from Iranian forces, while an additional 35 were involved in accidents.

The continued targeting of kolbars by Iranian authorities underscores ongoing human rights concerns within the region.