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Iran
Karwan Qader Shokri (left) and Bahadin Weisi (right) were killed by Iranian forces in the protests in Rojhelat. Photo: Kurdish social media in Iran
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its militia Basij killed at least seven protesters including two teenagers across the Kurdish areas in western Iran, rights groups and sources inside Iran reported.
The killing of the protesters started after the residents of various cities, towns and villages came out across the Kurdish region known as Rojhelat to support the people of Mahabad who have been under siege for 48 hours by the IRGC.
Hundreds of youths in the Bari Shilanan neighborhood of Mahabad had barricaded the streets to stop the advance of the IRGC and its militia on Saturday. Thousands of IRGC troops in armored vehicles were deployed on Sunday to suppress the protesters.
Following the crackdown in Mahabad, there were calls for the people of Rojhelat to come out and support Mahabad. Protest broke out in the town of Javanrud in Kermanshah province on Sunday evening and shortly afterwards Bahadin Weisi, 16, was the first protester to be killed by the IRGC. Erfan Kakaei, a teacher, became the second casualty of the night in the town.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Sunday that he was “greatly concerned” about the use of violence against the protesters in Mahabad, reiterating Washington’s support for the people of Iran.
Greatly concerned that Iranian authorities are reportedly escalating violence against protesters, particularly in the city of Mahabad. We continue to pursue accountability for those involved, as we support the Iranian people.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) November 20, 2022
The IRGC and its militia Basij killed another Kurdish protester, Taher Azizi, in Piranshahr in West Azerbaijan province followed by another 16 year old, Karwan Qader Shokri, in the same town. The security forces fired live ammunition at mourners during Azizi’s funeral, killing another protester by the name of Haydar Mahali.
Videos published on Kurdish Telegram channels showed people fleeing for their lives as the security forces fired on mourners in Piranshahr.
The IRGC and its militia Basij, backed by their local collaborators, had killed at least 26 protesters by Sunday morning before the new wave of crackdowns began later in the day.
At least 91 Kurdish protesters have been killed since the death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini in the custody of the morality police on September 16 which sparked the countrywide protest movement. The number of protesters killed across the country as of Monday morning stood at 419, including 60 children and teenagers, according to a tally provided by US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
Another protester by the name of Soleiman Shokri died of his injuries after being seriously wounded during Friday’s protests in the town of Bukan in West Azerbaijan province.
Mohsen Niazi, another protester, was reported killed in the town of Dehgolan in Kurdistan province.
Thousands of mourners attended the funerals of Kakaei and Weisi on Monday morning in the town of Javanrud, chanting against the Islamic Republic. Scores of people in Piranshahr took part in the funerals of those killed in the town.
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