According to the Rojhilat (Eastern Kurdistan) media, at least 48 kolbars were killed and 239 (but some human rights associations put the number at 292) were injured in the attacks carried out by the Iranian regime forces from January to November 2023 in the border regions of Iran and Rojhilat.

The kolbars

Kolber or “kolbar” is derived from the Kurdish words “kol” and “bar”. Kol means “back”, bar means “load”. Kolbars make their living by carrying goods on their backs across dangerous borders. The goods they carry include cigarettes, mobile phones, blankets, household items, tea and rarely alcoholic beverages. They have to pass through dangerous roads between South Kurdistan and East Kurdistan. The goods brought are sold at relatively high prices in commercial centres such as Tehran. However, kolbars who carry out the transportation of goods at the expense of their lives receive a very small amount of wages.

Kasibkar refers to those people who receive the goods kolbars carry to South Kurdistan and find buyers in towns.