Meybod Residents Demand Expulsion Of Illegal Afghans After Fatal Brawl

Police forces at the scene of a deadly brawl in Meybod in the central Yazd province (December 2023)
Police forces at the scene of a deadly brawl in Meybod in the central Yazd province (December 2023)

Iranians in Meybod took to the streets on Friday demanding the expulsion of illegal Afghans after a conflict between two groups led to the death of a young Iranian man.

The murder, believed to have been committed by an Afghan national, led to calls on the authorities to remove the Afghans residing illegally in the city. According to reports, among the 90,000 population of Meybod, approximately 12,000 are Afghan nationals.

The commander of the Yazd police, Abbasali Bahdani Fard, claims a suspect has been arrested, less than 15 hours after the street brawl on Friday.

Local sources have identified the victim as Amir-Reza Aghaei with another Iranian hospitalized.

Ali Akbar Azizi, the deputy governor of Yazd, informed IRNA state news agency that some Meybod residents demanded the arrest and punishment of the murderer during Friday prayers.

Social media videos, allegedly related to the Friday prayers in Meybod, depict visible public anger and protests. Some reports suggest that protesters targeted the Friday prayers Imam, the governor, and the commander of the city's IRGC during the demonstrations.

Increased security measures and the deployment of special forces in Meybod on Friday were also reported, with videos circulating on social media capturing the scenes.

Iran international cannot independently verify the accuracy of the videos.