UN expert urges probe into reported attack on Afghan migrants in Iran

A UN expert has asked for a look into reports of an attack on Afghan migrants by Iranian security forces near the Afghanistan border. The incident supposedly happened close to Saravan‚ a town in Iranʼs south-eastern Sistan and Baluchistan province about four days ago

Iran says no shooting took place‚ but thereʼs different info going around. The Taliban (who control Afghanistan) said theyre checking things out and will tell everyone whats what when they know more. Zabihullah Mujahid‚ their main speaker‚ said on social media that they heard some stuff about Afghans getting hurt or killed on the Iran border‚ but they dont know for sure yet

HalVash‚ a group that speaks up for Baluch people‚ has put out some reports about the shooting. They say they talked to two people who saw it happen and others who think lots of people died and got hurt. They showed pictures of what looked like dead bodies and people with gunshot wounds. HalVash says Iranian forces used guns and rocket-launchers in the attack

Richard Bennett‚ the UNʼs special person for human rights in Afghanistan‚ said heʼs really worried about these reports. He wants the authorities to look into it openly and clearly. He also said this isnt the only time somethings happened – Afghans need to be treated better all over the world

Iran started saying the reports werent true a couple days ago. Gen Reza Shojaei‚ whoʼs in charge of guarding the border in that area‚ said the shooting stories are “basically false“. Hassan Kazemi Ghomi‚ who works for Iranʼs president on Afghanistan stuff‚ also said on social media that its not true and blamed “lying media“ for spreading the story

Lots of Afghans have been living in Iran for a long time – since the Soviet Union went into Afghanistan 45 years ago. They stayed through different times‚ like when the Taliban first ruled Afghanistan‚ when the US and others went in 21 years ago‚ and when the Taliban took over again 3 years back. The UN thinks there are about 38 million people from other places living in Iran‚ and most of them are from Afghanistan. Some people in Iran think there might be even more

The information has not yet been confirmed. The necessary decision will be taken after clarification of the matter

Iranʼs police chief Ahmad Reza Radan said earlier this month that they want to send 2 million people who dont have the right papers back to where they came from in the next half year. He didnt say they were all from Afghanistan‚ but he did mention that 500‚000 have already been sent back. He said‚ “We cant let some people come into the country illegally‚ live here‚ and work. People who live here and own businesses should know its against the law to give these people jobs or places to live“