IRGC kills five other protesters in Kurdish town as crackdown intensifies

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which has taken over security in the Kurdish areas west of the country, gunned down at least five protesters on Monday in a Kurdish town as Iranian authorities intensify their crackdown in these areas. 

Four of those killed were returning from the cemetery where they participated in the funeral of two fellow protesters killed the night before by the same forces. 

Thousands took part in the funeral procession on the outskirts of Javanrud town in Kermanshah province chanting “martyrs will not die.” Upon their return, the IRGC opened fire on them. Videos circulating on social media showed bodies scattered across the streets as people confronted the forces with stones and chants against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who has called on security forces to crush the protests. 

Paris-based Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) said that four people were killed on Monday morning.They were identified as Jawahar Fattahi, Jamal Aazami, Tahisn Mirir and Esmail Golanbar. Several hours later, the monitor reported the death of Masoud Teymouri. 

Dozens were wounded as bullets from the IRGC rained down on the protesters with many running for cover behind trees and in alleys with smoke rising across the streets. 

In the town of Piranshahr in West Azerbaijan province, thousands of mourners took part in the funeral processions of two protesters killed by the IRGC on Sunday and came under attack. No protesters were reported killed but numerous were wounded by live ammunition.

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).