Iranian official says verified deaths in Iran protests reach at least 5,000
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According to an Iranian official, at least 5,000 people have been killed in protests.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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An Iranian official in the region said on Jan 18 that the authorities had verified that at least 5,000 people were killed in protests in Iran
The official, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue, told Reuters that some of the heaviest clashes and the highest number of deaths were in Kurdish areas in north-west Iran – a region where Kurdish separatists have been active and where flare-ups have been among the most violent in past periods of unrest.
“The final toll is not expected to increase sharply,” the official said, adding that “Israel and armed groups abroad” had supported and equipped those taking to the streets.
The Iranian authorities regularly blame unrest on foreign enemies, including Israel, an arch foe of the Islamic Republic, which launched military strikes on Iran in June.
The US-based HRANA rights group said on Jan 17 that the death toll had reached 3,308, with another 4,382 cases under review. The group said it had confirmed more than 24,000 arrests.
The Iranian Kurdish rights group Hengaw, based in Norway, has said some of the heaviest clashes during the protests that erupted in late December were also in Kurdish areas in the north-west. REUTERS
