At least 544 killed, over 10,600 arrested as Iran protests enter 15th day: Human rights group

At least 544 people have been killed and more than 10681 individuals arrested and transferred to prisons amid protests in Iran as demonstrators have taken to the streets across multiple provinces over the past 15 days in antigovernment rallies driven by soaring inflation economic hardship and mounting public anger over governanceAccording to the latest data released by the Human Rights Activists News Agency HRANA on Sunday protests erupted at 585 locations across the country spanning 186 cities in all 31 provinces underscoring the scale and intensity of the unrest now in its fifteenth dayIn the report HRANA which is registered in the United States of America as a nonprofit noted that over the past 24 hours it had received a fresh wave of data and visual documentation even as an internet shutdownnow in place since the thirteenth day of protestshas severely hampered independent verification and information flowAccording to HRANAs verified figures up to January 11 483 protesters have been killed along with 47 members of military and law enforcement forces and one governmentaffiliated noncivilianThe dead also include five nonprotesting civilian citizens while eight children under the age of 18 have been recorded among the fatalities though they are not included in the main breakdownIn addition to confirmed deaths 579 other reported fatalities remain under investigationBased on HRANAs latest aggregated and verified data to date protests have taken place at 585 locations nationwide including 186 cities across all 31 provinces As of this date 47 members of militarylaw enforcement forces have been killed One governmentaffiliated noncivilian a prosecutor has been killed 483 protesters have been killed Eight children under 18 are recorded among the dead not included in the above figures Five people have been killed as nonprotesting civilian citizens Accordingly the total number of confirmed fatalities has reached 544 so far In addition HRANA has received 579 other reports of deaths that remain under investigation the human rights group statedHowever the Institute for the Study of War ISW in a post on X said that more Iranian security personnel have been killed during the current protests than in any previous protest waveCiting IRGCaffiliated media ISW said at least 114 regime security officers from the Law Enforcement Command LEC Basij and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps IRGC have been killed since protests began on December 28ISW noted that Esfahan province recorded the highest number of LEC and IRGC deaths at 30 followed by nine deaths in Ghazvin provinceThe post added that the IRGC has been particularly active in western Iran including the Kermanshah and West Azerbaijan provinces and warned that the actual number of security force casualties is likely higher than officially reportedMore Iranian security officers have died during the current protests than in any other protest wave in Iran IRGCaffiliated media reported on January 11 that at least 114 regime security personnel from the Law Enforcement Command LEC Basij and IRGC have been killed since the start of the protests on December 28 the post addedAccording to the ISW the current wave of protests has already surpassed the 20222023 Mahsa Amini movement during which over 70 regime security personnel were killed making this the deadliest period of unrest in Iran in recent yearsAmid the massive protests across several provinces in Iran US President Donald Trump on Sunday local time said that the Islamic Republic appears to be crossing a red line set by his administration following the reports of the killing prompting Washington to consider what he described as very strong optionsAddressing reporters onboard Air Force One when asked whether Iran had crossed the red line he had drawn over the treatment of protesters Trump said Theyre starting to it looks likeThe US President referring to the ongoing protests in the Islamic Republic added that those in power were ruling through violenceHe emphasised that the situation was being closely monitored at the highest levels of the US governmentThere seem to be some people killed that arent supposed to be killed These are violent if you call them leaders I dont know if theyre leaders or if they just rule through violence but were looking at it very seriously The militarys looking at it Were looking at some very strong options well make a determination Trump statedTrump further stated that Washington may be forced to take action against Iran amid ongoing nationwide protests even as he revealed that Tehran has reached out to Washington seeking negotiationsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever