Afghan officials say Iranian guards kill 10 migrants at border

Afghan officials reported on Tuesday that Iranian border guards shot and killed at least ten Afghan nationals along the shared frontier. The deadly incident occurred Monday night in western Afghanistan's Farah province, according to a spokesperson for the local security command. The victims were young men from the province who were attempting an illegal crossing into Iran.

Official Account from Farah Province

Mohammad Nasim Badri, the spokesperson for the Farah security command, provided details to the Kabul-based Tolo News outlet. "10 residents of this province were shot and killed by Iranian border guards last night while attempting to cross into Iran illegally," Badri stated. He added that the group had entered Iranian territory illegally through the Mil 78 border point, seeking employment opportunities.

Lack of Iranian Comment and Regional Context

As of the report, Iranian authorities had not issued an immediate statement or confirmation regarding the alleged shootings. The long, porous border between Iran and Afghanistan is frequently crossed by migrants and refugees fleeing economic hardship and instability in Afghanistan, often facing perilous conditions.

Broader Pattern of Returns and Tensions

This fatal event highlights the ongoing tensions and human cost associated with migration and border control between the two nations. Over the past year, Iran has deported hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees back to their crisis-stricken homeland. Such incidents underscore the complex challenges of regional migration, a matter of significant concern for neighboring countries, including Türkiye, which also manages substantial migration flows.