Source: Iran International
A five-year-old was killed and his mother lost her unborn child when Iran’s security forces opened fire on the family’s vehicle in the country’s turbulent province of Sistan and Baluchestan.
Halvash, a local news website, reported that the child, Yousef Shahli-Bar, who had sustained five gunshot wounds, died after a prolonged wait for medical attention due to the absence of a surgeon.
The mother, Maryam Shahli-Bar, remains in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Khatam al-Anbiya Hospital in Iranshahr.
Halvash reported that after firing on the vehicle, tactical unit forces transported the injured to a hospital before leaving the scene.
The driver of the vehicle, Ramin Shahli-Bar, was arrested by security forces in plain clothes and taken to an undisclosed location, the report added.
No official explanation has been provided regarding the reason for the shooting.
Security forces in Iran have previously been accused of unjustified shootings at vehicles. According to statistics compiled by the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), 484 civilians were shot by military personnel in Iran in 2024, with 163 killed and 321 injured.
HRANA reported that in 2023, 402 civilians were targeted, and in 2022, the number was 845.
The shooting comes amid heightened tensions in the Sistan and Baluchestan region following armed clashes between Iranian military forces and Jaish al-Adl, a militant group operating in the region.
A video showing drones flying over Jakigour, a district in Rask County, caused concern among residents.
In Chabahar port, Iranian security forces on Tuesday launched a raid on a residential building using light and semi-heavy weapons, including rocket propelled grenade.
