Verified video footage and reports from eyewitnesses show that the Iranian security forces used unlawful force against peaceful demonstrators on the sixth nights of protests against water crisis protests in Khuzestan.
There are several videos and images proving how the state security forces used assault rifles and pellet guns to gun down locals in the cities of Shush, Khorramshahr, Shadegan, Ahvaz, Mahshahr, Susangerd, Shawar, Abadan, Ramshir, and others.
Security forces and special units used brutal force, sometimes lethal, against protesters. They shot tear gas, pepper spray and directly targeted locals with guns.
Unconfirmed local reports indicated that at least four young protesters were killed in Izeh.
Many more were injured in several cities in the province.
Internet disturbances were reported in several cities in Khuzestan Province.
In a video from Ahvaz a young man shot by security forces is seen taking out pellets from all over his body.
Another video from Susangerd shows a wounded protester and the voice on the video says: “Our protests are peaceful but they are using rifles to shoot at us…”
Water crisis protests in Khuzestan initially erupted in Khuzestan on July 15, and turned deadly when the state security forces killed two men by gunfire during the demonstrations.
In the past days, many protesters were injured and detained. Locals in Susangerd chanted for the release of their activists detained in the past nights.
Iran’s Khuzestan province
Iran’s Khuzestan province is well-known for its abundance of bodies of water. A third of Iran’s running waters flow into Khuzestan. The province is irrigated by the Karoun, Karkheh, Jarahi, and Maroun rivers. Despite the abundance in bodies of water, Khuzestan has now changed into a dry province, where livestock are dying from lack of drinking water, palm trees are withering away, and the locals are left in thirst in the scorching summer heat.
Khuzestan is possibly one of the hottest places on earth with maximum temperature in summer soaring up to 55°C/131°F.
Once a water-rich province, Khuzestan is now facing a serious water crisis, where mere drinking water is a challenge.
The crisis has been years in the making leading to environmental devastation and severe water shortages in the province after its rivers were dried up.
