Iraqi border guards opened fire on a father and son in the Sharbazher area of Sulaimani province early Thursday morning, killing the son and injuring the father, a family member told Rudaw.

The victims, identified as Awat Ismail and his son Arez, were shot at around 5:30 a.m. in Suraban village, approximately 68 kilometers from Sulaimani city center, according to Awat’s cousin, Mahmoud Maruf.

Maruf stated that the two had been transporting an officially processed shipment to Iran. “The shipment had passed through customs properly, but they were still fired upon,” he said.

Tragically, Arez was killed in the shooting, while Awat sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Sulaimani.

Authorities have detained the border guard responsible for the shooting, though Iraqi border forces have not yet officially commented on the incident.

The Iraq-Iran border has seen increased militarization in recent years following a 2023 agreement between Baghdad and Tehran, in which Iraq pledged to disarm Iranian-Kurdish opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region and tighten border security. Iran had previously threatened military action if Iraq failed to comply.

As part of these measures, Iraq has constructed a 200-kilometer security barrier along the border, equipped with over 150 thermal cameras, to curb smuggling and illegal crossings.

On the Iranian side of the border, security forces frequently target kolbars—Kurdish porters who carry goods across the mountainous frontier. Many kolbars are driven to the dangerous work by poverty and unemployment, but Iranian authorities accuse them of smuggling weapons and aiding opposition groups.

This latest shooting raises concerns about the use of lethal force by border guards and the risks faced by civilians in the heavily militarized region.