Two Baloch Sukhtbars were killed and another injured following gunfire by coastal patrol forces in Kouhestak, a district of Sirik County.
According to Kolbarnews, on the evening of Friday, May 2, 2025, naval border guards in Kouhestak, Sirik County, opened fire without prior warning on a Sukhtbari launch a few miles off the coast of Khor Azini. They used a DShK heavy machine gun.
As a result, two Baloch Sukhtbars were killed, and one was injured by a bullet to the hand.
The identities of the deceased Baloch Sukhtbar, verified as: Mohammad Khodabakhshi (Chakerzehi), approximately 32 years old, son of Abdullah, from Bazgard village in Sirik County, and Zeyd Malahi, approximately 24 years old, son of Mohammad, from Bandar Kargan in Minab County.
The identity of the injured Sukhtbar remains unknown at the time of this report.
According to local sources, the naval border guards under the command of Mohammad Safdari Moghadam known among local Baloch as “Sargookhi” fired without warning in the dark of night, targeting the launch several miles from Khor Azini. As a result, Mohammad and Zeyd were killed, and one other Sukhtbar was wounded in the hand.
Sukhtbari considered one of the unconventional and dangerous occupations that many Baloch people in Balochistan are forced to engage in due to the lack of suitable and stable employment opportunities. Accidents, vehicle overturns, and direct shootings by military and security forces are some of the dangers that threaten the lives of Sukhtbars. According to reports by Baloch activists, in 2024, at least 240 Baloch Sukhtbars lost their lives due to shootings by military forces, traffic accidents, and vehicle fires, while 135 others were injured in these incidents, 19 of whom were children.
