A member of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, IRGC has been assassinated in the town of Piranshahr in West Azerbaijan province, the local governor announced on Tuesday.

Ali Torabi told the media that IRGC member was shot dead in Esteqlal (Independence) avenue in the Kurdish town near the Iraqi border. The town has a substantial Kurdish community.

There are frequent armed clashes between members of Kurdish insurgent groups and government forces all along western and northwestern Iran.

In July three IRGC servicemen were killed in an ambush on the outskirts of Piranshahr, Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency reported at the time. More clashes have taken place in other areas of West Azerbaijan province.

Armed Kurdish groups have sanctuaries across the border in Iraq and cross the porous mountains border into Iran, where security forces are always on alert.

There have been reports recently of a dialogue between Kurdish groups and Iranian authorities.

In early August another two IRGC servicemen were killed in the Maku region close to the Turkish border.