"VAN" (Afghanistan Bureau - 26.05.2025) :: Mohammad Amir Tawsili, a former Afghan military pilot, ended his life by setting himself on fire in Mashhad, Iran, after receiving an exit notice. The tragic incident highlights the growing despair among Afghan refugees fearing forced deportation and persecution.
Tawsili had reportedly visited the residency office in Mashhad to renew his Iranian residency permit. However, Iranian authorities declined to extend his permit, the reason for which has not been disclosed by officials.
The denial of residency renewal left Tawsili fearing imminent deportation to Afghanistan, where former military personnel face widespread threats, arrest, torture, and in some cases, extrajudicial killings by the current regime. This fear is believed to have driven him to take his own life.
Hamidreza Kafinia, head of Mashhad’s Fire Department, confirmed the self-immolation, stating the incident occurred at approximately 12:52 PM on Sunday, May 18, in a residential home in Golshahr, Mashhad. He reported that the victim died of severe burns before emergency services could intervene.
While Kafinia refrained from disclosing the victim’s identity, the details match eyewitness and source accounts that identified the deceased as Tawsili. His death sheds light on the grave psychological toll that uncertainty, legal limbo, and fear of Taliban revenge are having on Afghan refugees in neighboring countries.
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have been repeatedly accused by human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and the UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan of targeting former Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) members, despite public assurances of amnesty.
With increasing reports of deportations and a lack of legal protection in host countries like Iran and Pakistan, Afghan refugees, particularly ex-military personnel, remain in an acutely vulnerable position. The international community is urged to provide urgent humanitarian and legal protection to prevent further tragedies.
Cr-KP
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