Situation Under Control after 1 Killed in Raid on Iran’s Consulate in Afghanistan
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – One person was killed and five injured on Saturday after protesters raided Iran’s consulate in Afghanistan’s western city of Herat, Afghan police said, and added that the situation is now under control.
Hundreds of Afghans were gathering in front of the Iranian consulate in protest at what they called problems getting visa.
Security forces were forced to fire at a number of protesters when they tried to raid on the Iranian consulate, Afghan Tolonews reported.
Later a report by Xinhua said that one person was killed and three injured in the incident.
“The protestors clashed with the police. One protestor was killed and three people, including a policeman, were injured in the clash," Xinhua quoted province police chief Rahmatullah Safi as saying.
Earlier, the media reports had said that three people were killed in the incident.
Meantime, Iranian Press TV quoted Afghan police as saying that one person was killed and five people were also injured when the protesters stormed the Consulate building.
Police spokesman Abdul Raouf Ahmadi said certain people, who had applied for Iranian visas, held a demonstration outside the Iranian Consulate in protest at what they called a slow procedure of visa issuance.
He added that the Afghan security forces tried to drive the protesters back by opening fire, hence the casualties.
According to Herat police, the situation is now under control and the demonstrators have been dispersed.
There is no report of damage to the building. Iranian Consulate officials have not made any comment about the incident, yet.
