Iran protest: At least 2,000 killed as 16-day uprising becomes bloodiest in decades

Dubai: The death toll from more than two weeks of nationwide unrest in Iran surged Tuesday to at least 2,000 people, according to human rights activists and a rare admission from an Iranian official.

The updated figure was provided by the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a group that has historically provided reliable data during periods of Iranian civil unrest. The agency’s reporting relies on a network of supporters within the country who cross-reference and verify information under difficult conditions.

Of the total deaths documented over the 16-day uprising, HRANA reported that 1,847 were protesters and 135 were security forces or government-affiliated personnel. The organisation also confirmed the deaths of nine children and nine civilians who were reportedly caught in the violence despite not participating in the demonstrations.

The scale of the carnage was partially corroborated on Tuesday by an anonymous Iranian official, who told Reuters that "about 2,000 people" had been killed. However, the official attributed the fatalities to "terrorists" rather than state security forces, a claim rejected by rights groups and Western leaders.

Accurately tracking the casualties remains a major challenge due to a near-total internet blackout and severed phone lines across the Islamic Republic. While the Associated Press has been unable to independently verify the activists' specific toll, the figures align with growing reports of a "state massacre" and videos purportedly showing morgues overwhelmed with bodies on the outskirts of Tehran.

The Iranian government has not released a comprehensive official tally of the dead or injured, but recently declared three days of national mourning for those it labelled "martyrs" of the unrest.

With inputs from AP