SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — Iranian border guards shot and killed Mohammed Genje, a Kurdish Kolbar, on the border areas of Piranshahr in Iran’s West Azarbaijan province. His body was hidden under snow for over two days before being found by relatives and friends on Wednesday, reported by Kolbar News.
Genje, a married father, was transporting goods on the Iraq-Iran border when he was shot in the right arm. He had gone missing for more than two days before his body was discovered.
According to Kolbar News, 299 Kolbars have been killed or injured in border areas in 2023, with the majority falling victim to direct fire from Iranian border guards, avalanches, freezing temperatures, landmines, and falls from cliffs. Shockingly, among the casualties, 30 were under the age of 18.
Kolbars, also known as kolbers or cross-border laborers, are Kurdish workers who transport goods across the rugged terrain separating Iran and Iraq. Despite high unemployment rates in Kurdish provinces of Iran, many turn to Kolbar work to earn a meagre living due to lack of alternatives.
The killing of Mohammed Genje highlights a drop in the ocean of the dangers faced by these Kolbars.
Credit: Middle East Images
