Protesting Iranian women shot in eyes, breasts and genitals: Report

New Delhi: Iran's security forces are cracking down on protesters more brutally than was previously reported.

Doctors who treated the injured protesters say men and women are targeted differently by the security forces using "birdshot pellets".

They fired with shotgun at unarmed women targeting their faces, breasts and genitals, according to the Guardian.

Numerous people were killed since protests erupted over the death in custody of a 22-year-old woman.

However, security forces largely resorted to batons and handcuffs and other crowd managing tactics.

Some medics accused security forces, including pro-regime Basij militia of disregarding safe practices like firing at feet and legs to avoid damaging vital organs, according to the report.

Little has been known about authorities were brutalising protesters using different methods for men and women.

While women are targeted on their faces, breasts and genitals, men shot in their legs, buttocks and backs, reports say.

Images released by the US media reportedly showed people with dozens of tiny "shot" balls lodged deep in their flesh.

"I treated a woman in her early 20s who was shot in her genitals by two pellets. Ten other pellets were lodged in her inner thigh. These 10 pellets were easily removed, but those two pellets were a challenge, because they were wedged in between her urethra and vaginal opening," a doctor reportedly said.

Iran has been the scene of raging protest since September 16 after Mahsan Amini died in the custody of Iran's morality police.

Kurdish origin Mahsan Amini was arrested for violating the country's harsh hijab law.

The protests started on the day of her funeral with women defying security forces before openly taking off their hijabs, demanding freedom.