According to the statistics of the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, at least seven Kurdish border porters –known as Kolbar- and tradesmen –Zanko Ahmadi, Zanest Hassannejad, Soroush Makari, Jalal Khezri, Shahram Mohammadi, Salahuddin Osmanzadeh and Hassan Khandehpour were shot dead by Iranian and Turkish border guards since late August in the Sardasht border area, Chaldoran and Piranshahr in West Azerbaijan province while 11 Kolbars and tradesmen were injured by Iranian and Turkish border guards.
Meanwhile, the Turkish government has so far refused to hand over the body of a Kolbar ‘Shahram Mohammadi’, who was shot dead by the Turkish army on September 12. Moreover, at least four kolbars, including a child named Mani Hashemi, were injured due to falling from heights and road accidents.
