Mahabad; Deployment and movement of military forces and equipment in a sports hall And an increase in serious public concern over the military use of schools

March 11, 2026; The use of public and service facilities by military forces in various cities of Kordestan continues. According to local reports, the movement and deployment of military forces and equipment in the "Jalili Khosrowshahi" sports hall, located next to the "Zanyar" school, have been observed over the past few days, and simultaneous with the closure of a number of schools, serious concern among citizens regarding the possibility of using these educational centers as military sites has increased.

According to reports received from Mahabad city in West Azerbaijan province, the military forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have converted the "Jalili Khosrowshahi" sports hall—located next to the "Zanyar" school in the "Ghasab-khaneh" alley of this city—into a deployment site for military forces, and the presence of a significant number of military forces in this sports hall has been observed.

Simultaneously, reports indicate that schools around this location have also been closed, and there is intense concern among citizens that these closures have been carried out with the aim of military use of these educational centers and the deployment of forces within them.

Based on the principles of International Humanitarian Law and the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention, parties involved in armed conflicts are obliged to distinguish between military objectives and civilian locations and to refrain from the military use of civilian centers, including schools, educational centers, and public places, which could put the lives of civilians at risk.

Image: A view of the location following missile attacks on the Intelligence Department building in Mahabad city; in this image, armed forces are seen among citizens whose shops have been damaged as a result of these attacks.