Two Baloch Sukhtbars lost their lives after military forces directly opened fire on a fuel-carrying vehicle on the Zahedan–Tehlab road and the vehicle caught fire.
According to Kolbarnews, in the early hours of Thursday, May 14, 2026, military forces on the Zahedan–Tehlab route, in the district of Mirjaveh County, directly targeted a Sukhtbari vehicle with gunfire, causing the vehicle to catch fire and resulting in the deaths of its two occupants in the flames.
According to received information, military forces fired at the vehicle without issuing a stop order or any prior warning. Following the impact of the bullets, the vehicle caught fire, and due to the intensity of the blaze and the rapid spread of the flames, the occupants were unable to escape the vehicle.
At the time of compiling this report, the identities of the two deceased Baloch Sukhtbar had not yet been officially confirmed.
Widespread poverty, lack of job opportunities, systematic deprivation, and the absence of economic infrastructure in Sistan and Baluchestan have forced many Baloch citizens to turn to fuel carrying in order to secure minimum livelihoods; a dangerous occupation that each year claims the lives of dozens of people as a result of shootings by military forces, high-speed chases, vehicle overturns, and fires.
According to a report by Baluch Activists for the year 2024, at least 375 Baloch Sukhtbars were injured or lost their lives due to shootings by military forces, road accidents, and vehicle fires. Of this number, 240 fuel carriers were killed and 135 others were injured, representing a 55 percent increase in the number of killed and injured Sukhtbars compared to 2023.
