Talks on Afghan migrants' drowning issue end without results

Talks between border commissioners of Afghanistan and Iran concerning last month's alleged drowning of Afghan migrants by the Iranian border police ended without results, Kabul's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Moving forward, the two countries will pursue the issue through diplomatic channels, TOLO News quoted the Ministry as saying on Friday.

"The case will be referred to diplomatic channels. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister will visit Afghanistan and will participate in the joint investigation with the Afghan side," said Geran Hewad, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) has also called for a swift investigation of the case.

It has termed the incident a major human rights violation.

"We should get to the bottom of this human rights violation and its hidden and unhidden aspects," said Zabihullah Farhang, the head of the media department of the human rights commission.

At the end of April, over 50 Afghan migrants were trying to cross the border when they were "tortured and drowned" by Iranian guards, according to witnesses.

On May 8, President Ashraf Ghani tasked a 10-member team to probe the alleged incident.

( With inputs from IANS )