There has been a widespread popular uprising since the murder of 22-year-old Mahsa (Jina) Amini in police custody in Tehran on September 16.

The protests escalated in East Kurdistan on October 26, the 40th day after the killing of Amini by torture.

Despite threats and the deadly crackdown by Iranian state forces, thousands of protestors took to the streets.

On Thursday (Oct. 27), protests took place in several cities of East Kurdistan, particularly in the cities of Mahabad, Bokan, Piranşar, Serdeşt, Bane, Seqiz, Diwander, Dêwlan, Kamyaran, Sine, Kirmaşan and Ilam.

In Mahabad, state forces are reported to have opened fire on protestors with live bullets. Several state-owned institutions and banks were set on fire by protestors. The Governor's Office came under protestors’ control for a while. According to reports, Iranian state forces killed or injured many demonstrators during the protests.

In the city of Bane, the regime forces opened fire on protestors, killing at least two people and injuring many others.

In the city of Diwander, protests took place as mourners marked the deaths of two protestors.

In the city of Xuremawa, Loristan, mourners commemorated a person named Niker Shakeremi 40 days after his murder. While anti-regime slogans were chanted during the protest in the city, regime forces opened fire on protestors, leading to clashes.

Protests resumed in the cities of Birucêrd and Miyandwaw in Loristan.

The regime forces had to retreat in the face of popular resistance in many cities.

Protests were also staged in Keraj, Mashhad, Erak, Shush, Zahidan and many other cities in Iran.

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE KILLED

According to Amnesty International, at least 8 people have been killed since Wednesday evening, most of them in East Kurdistan.

Two Basij members were killed in Amol city, Mazandaran province, where paramilitary Basij forces were deployed.

According to human rights organizations and opposition groups, between 234 and 260 protestors, including 29 minors, have been killed since September 16.

Tens of thousands of people have been detained during the protests that have spread to almost 200 cities.