20 Kolbers Killed or Wounded on Kurdistan Borders, 85% from Armed Forces' Direct Fire—Hengaw Report

Date: Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Based on the data registered at the Statistics and Documents Center of the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, a total of 20 Kolbers lost their lives or suffered injuries during July 2023 on the borders of Kurdistan. The majority of these casualties—85% to be exact—were a result of direct gunfire from the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
 

The breakdown of the incidents shows that two Kolbers were killed and 18 others were injured, including three teenagers who were under 18 years old. Kermanshah province recorded the highest number of casualties, with 14 cases.
 

The causes of death or injury were classified as follows:

Direct gunfire: 17 cases (16 injured and 1 killed), equivalent to 85% of all cases.
Natural causes: 2 cases (1 killed and 1 injured), equivalent to 10% of all cases.
Assault: 1 case (1 wounded), equivalent to 5% of all cases.
 

The casualties were distributed across different provinces as follows:
West Azarbaijan province (Urmia) recorded one case resulting in one fatality; Kurdistan Province (Sanandaj) saw five cases, including one killed and four wounded; and Kermanshah province reported 14 cases, all resulting in injuries.
 

The responsible armed forces are as follows:

Border guards accounted for 17 cases, involving 1 killed and 16 wounded.
IRGC: 1 case, including 1 wounded.