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

Violence in the Sistan and Baluchistan province has become a regular occurrence, marked by clashes with armed groups and ambushes on Iranian security forces.

Adam Lucente
Adam Lucente
People attend the funeral ceremony of Mahan Setareh, a member of the paramilitary Basij force who was killed in the recent Israeli attacks on June 26, 2025 in Tehran, Iran. A cease-fire between Israel and Iran has brought an end to 12 days of daily aerial attacks that started with Israel's strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites on June 13. (Photo by Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)
People attend the funeral ceremony of Mahan Setareh, a member of the paramilitary Basij force who was killed in the recent Israeli attacks on June 26, 2025. in Tehran, Iran. — Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

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. 

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