Nowruz celebrations in Oshnavieh "devolved into violence" after special forces raid

According to unofficial reports, on Sunday evening, March 19, an hour after the start of the new year 1401, special forces forces violently dispersed a gathering of people participating in the Nowruz ceremony in Oshnavieh.

In videos posted on social media, gunshots can be heard and the crowd participating in the ceremony is seen taking refuge in side streets after the special forces stormed the area.

According to local reports, special forces used tear gas and shotgun pellets to disperse the crowd.

So far, no information has been released about possible casualties from the Sunday evening attack by special forces in Osnaviyeh.

Oshnaviyeh is a Kurdish border city in West Azerbaijan Province, bordering Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan Region) to the west and Urmia to the north.

Nowruz celebrations are held every year in a number of Kurdish cities in Iran under heavy security pressure.

According to numerous reports from human rights websites, dozens of Kurdish citizens have been summoned to the intelligence departments of various Kurdish cities in recent weeks and have been given written commitments to prevent them from holding and attending Nowruz ceremonies.

The Kurdpa website announced in a report in early October that 18 people had been arrested since the beginning of 1400 in connection with holding Nowruz ceremonies.

According to reports, in recent weeks, the districts and governorates in Kurdish regions had issued a notification to executive officials banning Nowruz ceremonies, the use of the "Kurdistan flag", the "jamaneh", red flowers, mixed dancing and marching by men and women, and had emphasized the use of Iranian government symbols in New Year ceremonies.

Source: Radio Farda