A 19-year-old kolbar was killed and three others injured on Tuesday in a shooting incident by Iranian security forces on the border with the Kurdistan Region. According to the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) opened fire at a group of kolbars in the height of Qandil mountain, killing Kian Zini from Sardasht, West Azerbaijan province.

The watchdog reported that Zini, who was just 19 years old, lost his life in the attack. Three other kolbars were severely injured in the incident, which highlights the ongoing human rights abuses faced by these semi-legal porters who transport untaxed goods across the Kurdistan Region-Iran border and sometimes the Iran-Turkey border.

The use of force by Iranian border guards against kolbars is a recurring issue, with at least 10 kolbars killed in June and 8 in May, according to Hengaw's data. The Paris-based Kurdistan Human Rights Network reported that a total of 29 kolbars died last year, with at least 19 of them killed by Iranian border guards.

Many kolbars are forced into this dangerous profession due to poverty and lack of alternative employment opportunities, particularly in Iran's Kurdish provinces. The transport of goods is often the primary source of income for many kolbar families, making them vulnerable to attacks by Iranian border guards.

The latest incident brings the total number of kolbar fatalities to at least 33, with 176 others wounded as a result of direct fire from Iranian forces in 2023. Additionally, at least 35 kolbars fell victim to accidents last year.

The Kurdistan Regional Government has repeatedly called on the Iranian government to stop targeting kolbars and to address their human rights concerns. However, despite international pressure and repeated condemnations, the violence against these vulnerable individuals continues to persist.