Former Afghan lawmaker Mursal Nabizada shot dead in Kabul

A former Afghan female legislator and one of her bodyguards have been killed at her home in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul, police have said.

Mursal Nabizada had been a member of parliament in the United States-backed government that was deposed by the Taliban in August 2021. She was among the few female parliamentarians who stayed in Kabul after the Taliban takeover.

“Nabizada, along with one of her bodyguards, was shot dead at her house,” Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said on Sunday.

“The security forces have started a serious investigation into the incident,” he said.

The shooting happened around 3am on Sunday (22:30 GMT on Saturday), according to local police chief Molvi Hamidullah Khalid.

He said Nabizada’s brother and a second security guard were wounded and a third security guard fled the scene with money and jewelry.

Khalid did not answer questions about possible motives.

Abdullah Abdullah, who was a top official in Afghanistan’s former Western-backed government, said he was saddened by Nabizada’s death and hoped the perpetrators would be punished. He described her as a “representative and servant of the people.”

Nabizada was elected in 2019 to represent Kabul. She was a member of the parliamentary defence commission and worked at a private nongovernmental group, the Institute for Human Resources Development and Research.

Former lawmaker Mariam Solaimankhil said on Twitter that Nabizada was a “fearless champion for Afghanistan”.

“A true trailblazer – strong, outspoken woman who stood for what she believed in, even in the face of danger,” she wrote.

“Despite being offered the chance to leave Afghanistan, she chose to stay and fight for her people,” Solaimankhil added.

Member of the European Parliament Hannah Neumann tweeted: “I am sad and angry and want the world to know!”

“She was killed in darkness, but the Taliban build their system of gender apartheid in full daylight.”