A regional head of women’s affairs was targeted and killed by a car bomb in east Afghanistan yesterday, officials have said, the latest act of brazen violence against women in the country.
Hanifa Safi was killed when driving through the capital of Laghman province, Mehtar Lam, when a bomb attached to her car exploded, said the provincial governors spokesman Sarhadi Zwak. “It killed her and left her husband, who was with her in the car, in a coma,” Mr Zwak said, adding that the attack about 150km east of Kabul also wounded 10 civilians. Mr Zwak declined to say whether or not he believed the Taliban were behind the attack, instead saying enemies of Afghanistan planted the bomb.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Ms Safi is the second provincial head of womens affairs to be assassinated since the posts were created around 10 years ago in each of Afghanistans 34 provinces, reporting to the ministry of womens affairs in Kabul. She joins Safia Ama Jan, who was gunned down in 2006 by members of the Taliban. – (Reuters)