Afghanistan calls on Iran to probe killing of citizens

By Shadi Khan Saif
KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) – Afghanistan has called for a probe into the burning to death of three of its citizens in Iran, weeks after an alleged drowning of Afghan refugees by the Iranian forces in a river.
In a statement, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said it is closely monitoring, investigating and evaluating the burning of a car carrying Afghan citizens in Yazd, which resulted in three deaths and several injuries.
It said that Ghafoor Lewal, the Afghan ambassador to Tehran, arrived in Yazd on Friday to visit the victims of the incident and to discuss with local officials reasons for the alleged shooting by the police at the vehicle and ways to prosecute the perpetrators.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take the necessary decisions based on the results of the probe,” the ministry said.
Earlier, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported three deaths in the incident, citing police. According to Iranian media reports, police in Yazd province confirmed that the vehicle was shot by security forces after it did not stop at a checkpoint.
Last month, an Iranian diplomatic mission visited Kabul in connection with the infamous drowning case of dozens of Afghan migrants that stirred a diplomatic row between the two countries.
Afghanistan’s Independent Human Rights Commission, after talking to survivors, had confirmed the beating, torturing and drowning of several Afghan refugees by Iranian border guards, a claim rejected by Tehran.