Interesting not only becuase it shows Kurds in Iran are getting restless, but also it indicates serious infrastructure problems. Tehran, Feb. 13 - Thousands of people flooded the streets of Mahabad (northwest Kurdistan province in Iran) this morning, clashing violently with State Security Forces after days of gas, water, and electricity interruptions. According to local residents, household gas has been cut off in the town for the past four days, electricity has been out for more than 24 hours, and water was repeatedly cut off for several hours at a time over the past day. Protestors gathered in front of government offices, complaining that there was extreme shortage of bread as bakeries could not provide them during the energy blackout.
Temperatures in Mahabad have reportedly dropped to as low 15 degrees below freezing over the past few days. The demonstration quickly turned into a mass rally and youths set fire to banners and poster celebrating the 26th anniversary of the revolution that toppled the monarchy and brought to power Iran's turbaned clerics, residents reported.
SSF agents, plainclothes police, and members of the Bassij (Iran's paramilitary police) attacked the demonstrators with clubs and batons, arresting at least ten individuals, as residents shouted slogans against the Iranian regime. Eye-witnesses reported that at least two plainclothes policemen were injured during the ensuing clashes. |