Female commander in Iran's Basij units assassinated: What to know

A female commander in Iran’s Basij units was assassinated in the Sistan and Baluchistan province, marking the latest sign of a security breakdown in the country’s southeast. 

What happened: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Wednesday announced the death of Afsaneh Aghila, a commander in a Basij unit for women in Mehrestan. 

State media reported that Aghila was shot and killed in front of her home without specifying the perpetrators. 

The Basij is a volunteer paramilitary force within the IRGC that works to suppress dissent and maintain ideological support for the Islamic Republic. Women’s roles in the organization include participating in pro-government rallies and receiving firearms training.