Afghan women's rights advocate, negotiator injured in attack

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Afghan women's rights advocate, negotiator injured in attack

By Abdul Qadir Sediqi and Orooj Hakimi

 

FILE PHOTO: Fawzia Koofi speaks during an interview in Kabul April 12, 2012. REUTERS/Mohammad Ismail

 

KABUL (Reuters) - A prominent women's rights advocate and member of the Afghan team tasked with negotiating with the Taliban sustained minor injuries in an attack in Kabul by unknown gunmen, officials said on Saturday.

 

They described the attack on Fawzia Koofi, a former lawmaker, as an assassination attempt. It was condemned by Afghanistan's president as well as senior politicians involved in the peace process.

 

"I strongly condemn the assassination attempt on Ms Fawzia Koofi and call upon the government to identify and apprehend the culprits and possible motive for the attack," Abdullah Abdullah, the head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, said on Twitter.

 

A spokesman for the insurgent Taliban denied any involvement.

 

Koofi could not immediately be reached for comment, but a post on her Facebook page said her right arm was injured but, "Thankfully not a life-threatening injury!"

 

A government-mandated team is set to start long-awaited peace negotiations with the Taliban in Qatar's capital Doha in coming days once a prisoner release process is complete.

 

The United States has been attempting to broker peace talks to end more than 18 years of war after signing a troop withdrawal deal with the militant group in February.

 

Many have concerns about the protection of women's rights throughout the process. During their 1996-2001 rule, the Taliban banned women from education or leaving the house without a male relative.

 

Koofi is a staunch advocate of women's and girls' rights, starting her public career in 2001 shortly after the ouster of the Taliban by campaigning for girls' education.

 

Human rights officials have raised concerns in recent months about senior civil society members being targeted in attacks.

 

Shaharzad Akbar, head of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, said there is a "worrying pattern of targeted attacks that can negatively impact confidence in peace process."

 

(Reporting by Abdul Qadir Sediqi and Orooj Hakimi; Writing by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by William Mallard)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-16

 

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[pegman]

When is that place going to advance from the 9th century?

[DaddyWarbucks]

3 hours ago, pegman said:

When is that place going to advance from the 9th century?

That's a question that still begs an answer.

   The 19th century Brits, the 20th century Russians, and the 21st centry Americans were all defeated by underestimating the Afghans.

   Those of us who travelled overland on the Hippie Trail through Afghanistan in the 1970s will remember them as people who would rather die on their feet than live on their knees.

[Morch]

20 minutes ago, DaddyWarbucks said:

That's a question that still begs an answer.

   The 19th century Brits, the 20th century Russians, and the 21st centry Americans were all defeated by underestimating the Afghans.

   Those of us who travelled overland on the Hippie Trail through Afghanistan in the 1970s will remember them as people who would rather die on their feet than live on their knees.

 

That's all very well, but dodges the question raised. Kinda doubt the sorry state of such things as women's rights in this country can be wholly (or even mostly) attributed to foreign interventions.