Taliban murders Afghani policewoman

From Al Jazeera

News CENTRAL/S. ASIA

Afghan policewoman shot dead


Kakar received international attention for her
police work in Kandahar province [AFP]


A woman regarded as Afghanistan's most prominent female police officer has been shot dead in the southern city of Kandahar, a government official has said.

Malalai Kakar, the head of the city's department on crimes against women, was attacked by armed men on Sunday as she left her home, Zalmay Ayoobi, a Kandahar government spokesman, said.

"Today between 7am [0230 GMT] and 8am when she was [in her car] outside her house and going to her job, some gunmen attacked," Ayoobi said.

"Malalai Kakar died in front of her house. Her son was wounded."

Kandahar is a traditional stronghold of the Taliban, which is fighting an armed campaign against the Afghan government and US and Nato forces in the country.

Taliban claim

Kakar, who was in her late 30s, was shot in the head, a doctor said.

"She died on the spot and her son, who was badly injured, is in a coma in the hospital," he said without giving his name.

A spokesman for the Taliban said that the assassins were from his group.

"We killed Malalai Kakar," Yousuf Ahmadi, spokesman told the AFP news agency, said.

"She was our target, and we successfully eliminated our target."