Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Jan 15: Iranian security forces have killed at least 3,428 protesters during a sweeping crackdown on anti-government demonstrations, a Norway-based rights group said on Wednesday, as regional tensions spilled over with the United States advising some personnel to evacuate a key military base in neighbouring Qatar.
According to Iran Human Rights (IHR), more than 10,000 people have also been arrested since protests intensified earlier this month. The NGO said the sharp rise in the death toll followed fresh information received from within Iran’s health and education ministries, adding that at least 3,379 of the killings occurred between January 8 and 12, when demonstrations were at their peak.
IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam strongly condemned what he described as the “mass killing of protesters on the streets in recent days,” warning that the updated figures still represent an “absolute minimum” of the actual number of deaths.
As unrest continued in Iran, a US official said some personnel stationed at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar — the largest US military installation in the Middle East — had been advised to evacuate by Wednesday evening as a precautionary measure. The official, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, declined to provide details on whether the move was mandatory, how many people were affected, or whether it involved military or civilian staff, citing operational security.
Qatar confirmed the move, saying the measures were being taken “in response to the current regional tensions.”
“The State of Qatar continues to implement all necessary measures to safeguard the security and safety of its citizens and residents as a top priority, including the protection of critical infrastructure and military facilities,” Qatar’s media office said in a post on X.
The Pentagon declined to comment on the advisory, while the US State Department said it had no immediate information on whether security alerts would be issued for American diplomats or civilians in Qatar. In June, the US embassy in Doha had briefly advised Americans to shelter in place amid heightened tensions, without ordering evacuations.
The latest developments come as protests rage in Iran and US President Donald Trump has warned of possible military action if the Iranian government continues to retaliate against demonstrators. Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts thousands of US troops, was previously targeted by Iran in June in retaliation for US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a warning on X, stating that the “US President, who repeatedly talks about futile aggression against Iran’s nuclear facilities, should also mention the destruction of the US base in Al Udeid by Iranian missiles.”
“It would certainly help create a real understanding of Iran’s will and ability to respond to any aggression,” he added.
Iranian and Qatari officials have been in contact amid the escalating crisis. On Tuesday, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Larijani held a phone conversation with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
In a statement, Al Thani said he reaffirmed Qatar’s support for “all de-escalation efforts and peaceful solutions to enhance security and stability in the region.”
Iran’s June missile strike on Al Udeid marked a rare moment of tension between Tehran and Doha. At the time, Qatar said it had been caught off guard by the attack. US Central Command said no American or Qatari personnel were injured, noting joint defensive efforts. A Qatari military official later said one of 19 missiles fired by Iran was not intercepted and struck the base, though Trump claimed “hardly any damage was done.”
Qatar has increasingly found itself caught amid broader regional turmoil, including a September Israeli strike on the headquarters of Hamas’ political leadership in Doha during discussions on a US-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal.