According to a recent report by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the month of May saw a significant rise in violence against kolbars, with at least eight killed and five injured by Iranian security forces. This grim statistic represents a doubling of the fatality count from April, during which four kolbars lost their lives.

Kolbars, who are semi-legal porters, transport untaxed goods across the borders between the Kurdistan Region and Iran, and occasionally between Iran and Turkey. These individuals, often driven by poverty and a lack of employment opportunities, particularly in Iran's impoverished Kurdish provinces, face constant danger. They are frequently targeted by Iranian border guards and sometimes fall victim to natural disasters.

The majority of the recent killings occurred along the border of Iran’s Kurdistan province. This past winter has been particularly tragic for kolbars, many of whom have died due to extreme weather conditions, natural disasters, or violence from border guards. Iranian and Iraqi security forces have heightened border security in the past year, aiming to curb the activities of Kurdish-Iranian groups opposed to the Islamic Republic regime. This increased security presence has led to more hostile encounters for kolbars.

In an annual report by the Paris-based Kurdistan Human Rights Network, it was revealed that in 2023, a total of 29 kolbars lost their lives. Nineteen of these deaths were attributed to direct actions by Iranian border guards. Hengaw further estimated that 33 kolbars were killed and 176 were injured by Iranian forces' direct fire in 2023, while at least 35 kolbars died in accidents.