UN experts have called for an immediate cessation of unlawful killings targeting Kurdish and Baloch minorities at Iran’s borders. This urgent plea follows reports of at least 12 Kurdish couriers, known as “kolbars,” and 13 Baloch fuel carriers, or “sukhtbars,” killed through lethal actions by Iranian military and border forces in 2026. These tragic events underscore a disturbing trend of violence against these communities, often driven by accusations of smuggling.
A group of UN Special Rapporteurs, including those focusing on human rights in Iran and extrajudicial killings, emphasized that these acts occur without warning and often at close range. They underscored that suspected customs violations do not justify lethal force. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network noted that in 2025 alone, 19 kolbars were killed and 21 wounded. Similarly, the Balochistan Human Rights Group documented 173 sukhtbars killed during the same period.
Kurdish and Baloch communities represent some of Iran’s most marginalized groups. Faced with scant economic opportunities, many young men resort to hazardous cross-border trade missions to sustain their families. However, Iran’s use of deadly force against them, under the guise of countering smuggling activities, exacerbates their vulnerability. The Kurdish population, estimated between 8 to 15 million, is predominantly located in the northwestern provinces of Kurdistan, West Azerbaijan, Kermanshah, and Ilam, while approximately 2 to 3 million Baloch reside primarily in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan.
This ongoing pattern of lethal enforcement is part of broader systemic repression faced by ethnic minorities in Iran, which extends to executions, arbitrary detentions, and restrictions on cultural and civic rights. These measures are compounded by legislative frameworks like the 2025 Iranian security law that broadens the criteria for offenses related to espionage and national security, thus stifling cultural and political expression among minorities. The UN has also warned about rising incidents of arbitrary detention and torture of these minority groups, actions in direct violation of international conventions such as the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention against Torture.
The international community remains watchful, as calls amplify for immediate reforms to protect these communities from further harm. There is a critical need to address the systematic securitization that perpetuates these injustices and places the most vulnerable in harm’s way. For further details on this unfolding situation, see the JURIST report.