Bomb (Air Delivered) event in Iran, Islamic Republic of on Mon 2nd March 2026

The Kurdistan Human Rights Network said on Tuesday, March 2, that after an IRGC-linked site near Mahabad Prison was bombed, inmates began protesting their continued detention amid wartime conditions. The protest was reportedly broken up by Special Forces, who entered the facility and used tear gas against the prisoners.

The report, quoting an informed source, states: “Following this attack, the windows of a large number of nearby houses and shops were broken. The prisoners also protested their detention in a war zone by setting fire to blankets. Upon entering Mahabad Prison, Special Forces attacked the prisoners by firing tear gas.”

According to the source, tensions inside the prison have eased somewhat. However, families of the inmates have gathered outside the facility after phone lines were cut, demanding updates about the condition and safety of their relatives.

Prison authorities in Mahabad have announced that they will conduct a “special review” of prisoner cases and will release some on temporary bail or grant them medical leave.

Mahabad, located in West Azerbaijan Province, is a city with a predominantly Kurdish population and a long history of political activism and resistance. Within Iran’s prison system, the Special Forces serve as anti-riot police units, recognizable by their black uniforms and tough enforcement methods. In times of national crisis or war, prisons in Iran can quickly become flashpoints, as inmates - particularly political prisoners - fear they could be left unprotected or even executed if the facilities come under attack or if security personnel withdraw.

In recent days, after intense aerial bombardments, prisons across Iran’s western provinces have reportedly taken on a heavily militarized atmosphere. The Human Rights Network says the number of custodial officers inside the wards has increased several fold, with doors kept locked and inmates barred from accessing common areas such as gyms and libraries.

The situation in prisons in other Iranian provinces is also reported to be chaotic, and concerns over a potential human rights catastrophe have increased.

A significant number of Iran’s major prisons are situated close to military installations or IRGC logistical centers. In times of war, inmates fear they could effectively be used as “human shields,” with their presence deterring potential strikes on nearby targets. Setting fire to blankets is a tactic often used by prisoners to generate smoke and draw outside attention to their situation during unrest or riots.