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A suicide bomber yesterday attacked a vehicle convoy carrying Afghan lawmakers including a prominent female MP, killing three civilians and injuring 22 others.
The blast, in which the attacker detonated an explosives-packed car, left the MPs' vehicles badly damaged on a main road in western Kabul, close to the parliament.
"[MP Shukria] Barakzai - she is fine and suffers small injuries," Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said via Twitter.
Barakzai is a renowned campaigner for women's rights in Afghanistan, a stance that attracts fierce opposition from many Islamist groups.
She has spoken about receiving regular death threats, but there was no immediate claim of responsibility for yesterday's blast.
Television footage showed a shaken Barakzai walking away from her wrecked car while other passengers were covered in blood.

The blast came the day after President Ashraf Ghani completed a two-day visit to neighbouring Pakistan, which is blamed for sheltering insurgent leaders behind many of the attacks in Afghanistan.
Ghani said improved relations with Pakistan could help security in the troubled region as US-led Nato combat troops leave Afghanistan after more than a decade of fighting against the Taliban.
Barakzai is a close supporter of Ghani, who has stressed the need for better women's rights since he came to power in September.
Female officials have often been targeted by insurgents in Afghanistan.
The country's most senior female police officer was shot dead last year in Helmand province, months after her predecessor was also gunned down.
Barakzai voiced strong criticism of US-led efforts last year to open peace talks with the Taliban, whom she described as "a terror network who are killing every single day Afghan civilians, women and children".


Prominent female MP injured in suicide blast in Afghanistan, 3 civilians die

Afghan security officials inspect the scene of a suicide car bomb attack that targeted a female legislator Shukria Barakzai in Kabul. Photo: EPA

Shukria Barakzai

News

World

A suicide bomber yesterday attacked a vehicle convoy carrying Afghan lawmakers including a prominent female MP, killing three civilians and injuring 22 others.
