Kurdistan Province's capital besieged, under fire, fatalities reported
The capital of Kurdistan Province in Iran was besieged by Iranian forces, and neighborhoods in the city are under fire, as at least five people have been killed in the past couple of days in the region, human rights groups and news outlets reported.
In response to ongoing protests over the death of young Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in police custody, the Iranian forces recently clamped down on cities in Kurdistan province, particularly on the capital city of Sanandaj.
At least five civilians were killed, two detainees tortured to death, and over 400 people were injured as a result of machine gun fire and other violence perpetrated by government forces during protests in Kurdistan throughout the past three days, Hengaw Organization for Human Rights said on Tuesday.
Rudaw said:
"Iranian authorities on Monday night deployed thousands of security forces in armored vehicles, including riot police, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and its paramilitary wing Basij into the streets of the Kurdish city of Sanandaj in western Iran, launching a violent assault."
#Breaking
— Hengaw Organization for Human Rights (@Hengaw_English) October 9, 2022
The Islamic Republic of Iran is on the verge of committing another slaughter in #Sanandaj as the city is being heavily shelled.
October 10, 2022#MahsaAmini#Kurdistanpic.twitter.com/B1fnDCdEdX
Hengaw posted a video on Twitter Monday showing heavy gunfire and explosions in the city of Sanandaj, with a message that read: "The Islamic Republic of Iran is on the verge of committing another slaughter in Sanandaj as the city is being heavily shelled."
"The ruthless killings of civilians by security forces in Kurdistan Province, on the heels of the massacre in Baluchestan Province, are likely preludes to severe state violence to come” said the Executive Director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI).
Hadi Ghaemi called on the international community to take solid steps in the face of recent acts of oppression by Iranian authorities, saying:
"World leaders must move beyond statements of condemnation to collective action through an international front signaling to the government in Iran that the international community will not look the other way and conduct business as usual while it slaughters unarmed civilians."
The Amnesty International issued a message of warning. It said:
"Amnesty International warns about the wide dimensions of the ongoing repression of protesters in Sanandaj in Kurdistan province. The received reports indicate that the security forces used firearms and repeatedly fired tear gas, including at people's houses."
۱. سازمان عفو بینالملل نسبت به ابعاد گسترده سرکوب جاری معترضان در #سنندج در استان کردستان، هشدار میدهد.
— Amnesty Iran (@AmnestyIran) October 10, 2022
گزارشهای دریافت شده حاکی از استفاده نیروهای امنیتی از سلاح گرم و شلیک مکرر گاز اشکآور، از جمله به خانههای مردم، است.#مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/Sv53TIbUzO
It also posted a video showing bullet shells and cartridges used by Iranian forces in the city.
