Iran has deployed mounted police in the capital Tehran, in a bid to put an end to more than seven weeks of protests sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini.
The theocratic state has been rocked by a protest movement that erupted when 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died after her arrest for allegedly breaking Iran's strict hijab dress rules for women.
Young women have led the demonstrations, removing and burning their head coverings, chanting anti-regime slogans and confronting security forces on the street despite a crackdown that has killed dozens.
In a rare move, the authorities have deployed police on horseback in Tehran's streets to stifle the demonstrations, according to verified posts on social media.
The special unit has been seen on patrol in front of a row of Iranian national flags on a major road in the northwestern neighbourhood of Sadeghiyeh.
In a rare move, the Islamic Republic has deployed mounted police forces in Tehran to further crack down on protesters, photos obtained by @IranIntl from Tehran's Aryashahr (Sadeghieh) neighborhood show. pic.twitter.com/EfHILkNp4O
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) November 7, 2022
Protests met with lethal force
Created in 2013, the mounted division of Iran's police force has been seen on the streets of the Iranian capital in the past – mainly during parades – but it is uncommon to see it deployed during protests.
Amini, a Kurdish-Iranian died on 16 September, three days after she was arrested in Tehran by the morality police, igniting nationwide protests.
The Iranian authorities have adopted a range of tactics in a bid to suppress the protests, which officials refer to as "riots".
Security forces have fired directly on protesters using live ammunition, bird shot, tear gas and even paintballs.
Warning: Disturbing
— IranHumanRights.org (@ICHRI) November 5, 2022
At least 16 people were reportedly killed yesterday amid protests in Khash, Sistan and Baluchistan province, where the government continues to deploy lethal force to quell protests.⁰#MahsaAmini #مهسا_امینی
pic.twitter.com/Le7gu7jk3H
Deadly protests in Baluchistan
The Tehran government has also imposed internet restrictions – including blocking access to Instagram and WhatsApp – and have waged a campaign of mass arrests.
The Norway-based Iran Human Rights group says security forces have killed at least 186 people in the latest crackdown on the Amini protests.
At least 118 people have reportedly lost their lives in separate protests since 30 September in Sistan-Baluchistan – a mainly Sunni Muslim province on Iran's southeastern border with Pakistan.
