Forces from Mersad at the Kalegan border in Saravan are extorting 30 million tomans from Sukhtbars in exchange for passage.
According to Kolbernews, on Monday, February 10, 2025, Mersad forces in the Kalegan border region of Saravan County have been demanding large sums of money from Sukhtbars in exchange for allowing them to pass.
A Baloch citizen, who shared a video from the area, stated:
“This is the Kalegan border in Saravan, and Mersad forces have demanded 30 million tomans from each Sukhtbari vehicle to allow them to pass.”
Reports of extortion and violent treatment of Sukhtbars by military forces in Balochistan’s border areas have surfaced previously, leading to widespread public discontent in the region.
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.
