According to Rojhilat Kurdistan media, Iranian forces once again opened fire on the kolbars in the Hengejal area of Bane on Saturday evening, killing 32-year-old Ahmet Sadiqî.

The young man was married and had two children.

According to data from the last 10 months, 18 kolbars lost their lives as a result of fire opened by Iranian forces within the borders of Bane alone.

Three more kolbars were injured as a result of fire opened at the Bane border on Saturday.

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.