Twenty Dead as Shots Fired From Friday Imam’s Helicopter

Twenty people were reported to have been killed and several injured when shots were fired from a helicopter outside a Friday imam’s residence in Sadra City, Shiraz province

Unconfirmed local reports say on the evening of Sunday, November 17, shots were fired at protesters from a helicopter that had landed at the residence of Sadra City’s leader of Friday prayers to pick him up. Protesters had gathered outside the cleric’s residence and had been chanting slogans.

Two brothers, Abdollah and Rasul Qavimi, from the village of Qalat near Shiraz, are believed to be among the dead. The brothers’ family had managed recover their bodies and had taken them to Qalat for burial.

On Monday, November 18, before the funeral began, security forces stormed the village of Qalat, disrupted the funeral and confiscated the bodies of the brothers.

Six others among the dead were reportedly members of the Qashqai Turkish minority. One of them was Majid Hashemi, but the names of the other five are still unknown. 

Eyewitnesses in the towns of Katsbass, Mianrud, and Kashan say there were heavy clashes between residents – including Qashqai Turks – and security forces. Reports indicated that clashes in Kashan had continued over two days. Roads leading into the town are reportedly blocked and streets there are barricaded.