According to reports received by Awatoday, Melika Shahmoradi, a 16-year-old Kurdish teenager from Kerend-e Gharb, in Kermanshah Province (Iranian Kurdistan), was killed on Thursday, January 8, 2026, during popular protests in the Shahrak-e Moallem neighborhood of Kermanshah, after being shot directly with live ammunition by the military-terrorist forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Based on the information received, the teenager was targeted by direct gunfire from security forces while participating in protest gatherings and died at the scene or shortly afterward due to the severity of her injuries.
So far, official authorities have not provided any transparent explanation regarding the details of the shooting or the identity of those responsible.
The killing of Melika Shahmoradi has once again intensified concerns over the use of live ammunition against protesters, particularly children and teenagers, and has sparked widespread reactions among public opinion and human rights activists.
According to the latest figures released by HRANA (Human Rights Activists News Agency), based in the United States, the number of confirmed deaths has reached 4,029, while 9,049 additional cases of death remain under investigation.
The group also reported that at least 5,811 people have suffered serious injuries during the protests, and that the total number of arrests has risen to 26,015.
