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| Top Afghan policewoman killed months after predecessor's assassination | Top Afghan policewoman killed months after predecessor's assassination |
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| Lieutenant Nigara was a well-respected officer whose work went far beyond the female body searches that fill the days of many policewomen. But today, Nigara, the top policewoman in Helmand province, died from her wounds after being shot twice on her way to work, just three months after her predecessor was assassinated in the same way by attackers who have never been identified. | Lieutenant Nigara was a well-respected officer whose work went far beyond the female body searches that fill the days of many policewomen. But today, Nigara, the top policewoman in Helmand province, died from her wounds after being shot twice on her way to work, just three months after her predecessor was assassinated in the same way by attackers who have never been identified. |
| The death was the latest in a campaign of assassinations, intimidation, assaults and kidnappings of prominent women around Afghanistan that has raised fears that the modest gains made by women in the last decade will be wiped out as western troops head home. | The death was the latest in a campaign of assassinations, intimidation, assaults and kidnappings of prominent women around Afghanistan that has raised fears that the modest gains made by women in the last decade will be wiped out as western troops head home. |
| Nigara had been an officer for decades, signing up in the early 1990s when the Soviet-backed government ruled Afghanistan. Forced home briefly by the Taliban, she returned from her temporary retirement to join male forces on daring raids to arrest fighters. | Nigara had been an officer for decades, signing up in the early 1990s when the Soviet-backed government ruled Afghanistan. Forced home briefly by the Taliban, she returned from her temporary retirement to join male forces on daring raids to arrest fighters. |
| She claimed to have stopped a suicide bomber by wrestling him to the ground in a bear hug, and climbed on to a roof-top to capture an insurgent sniper, she told the New York Times in an interview last month. | She claimed to have stopped a suicide bomber by wrestling him to the ground in a bear hug, and climbed on to a roof-top to capture an insurgent sniper, she told the New York Times in an interview last month. |
| Her death, at the hands of pistol-wielding men on motorbikes, was the third such killing in as many months. In July mystery assailants killed Islam Bibi, the most senior policewoman before Nigara, while she was on her way to work, and shot Sergeant Shah Bibi dead while she was shopping. | Her death, at the hands of pistol-wielding men on motorbikes, was the third such killing in as many months. In July mystery assailants killed Islam Bibi, the most senior policewoman before Nigara, while she was on her way to work, and shot Sergeant Shah Bibi dead while she was shopping. |
| There are so few policewomen working in conservative, violent Helmand that the string of drive-by shootings has killed nearly one in 10. The latest is likely to severely dent the morale of the 30 or so remaining female officers, mostly younger and far less experienced. | There are so few policewomen working in conservative, violent Helmand that the string of drive-by shootings has killed nearly one in 10. The latest is likely to severely dent the morale of the 30 or so remaining female officers, mostly younger and far less experienced. |
| "They have given us warning that one of us will be killed every three months and we will be killed one by one," Malalai, another policewoman from the province, told the Associated Press. The Taliban could not be reached for comment on Nigara's death. | "They have given us warning that one of us will be killed every three months and we will be killed one by one," Malalai, another policewoman from the province, told the Associated Press. The Taliban could not be reached for comment on Nigara's death. |
| Only 1% of police in Afghanistan are female, Oxfam said in a recent report. It warned the country would never tackle the appalling levels of violence against women unless their numbers rose. | Only 1% of police in Afghanistan are female, Oxfam said in a recent report. It warned the country would never tackle the appalling levels of violence against women unless their numbers rose. |
| Nigara's attackers struck at a roundabout near her home on Sunday as she waited for a government bus to take her to work along with other police. Like other policewomen, she had no protection and her morning routine made her very vulnerable. | Nigara's attackers struck at a roundabout near her home on Sunday as she waited for a government bus to take her to work along with other police. Like other policewomen, she had no protection and her morning routine made her very vulnerable. |
| "Two bullets hit her neck," said Farid Ahmad Obaid, a spokesman for the Helmand police chief. "She was taken to hospital but died early this morning." | "Two bullets hit her neck," said Farid Ahmad Obaid, a spokesman for the Helmand police chief. "She was taken to hospital but died early this morning." |
| "She was a very senior officer," said Omar Zwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor. "She held an important post in the criminal investigation department, took on national-level police work, and had taken over Islam Bibi's responsibilities." | "She was a very senior officer," said Omar Zwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor. "She held an important post in the criminal investigation department, took on national-level police work, and had taken over Islam Bibi's responsibilities." |
| Worsening violence across the country has bred greater dangers for women, with the numbers killed or injured in the first half of this year nearly two thirds higher than the same period of last year, according to a recent United Nations report on civilian casualties. Assassinations also rose by nearly a third. | Worsening violence across the country has bred greater dangers for women, with the numbers killed or injured in the first half of this year nearly two thirds higher than the same period of last year, according to a recent United Nations report on civilian casualties. Assassinations also rose by nearly a third. |
| This summer alone, a senator lost her daughter to a roadside ambush, a member of parliament was kidnapped for several weeks, and an Indian author and midwife was dragged from her home in an eastern village and shot in the middle of the night. | This summer alone, a senator lost her daughter to a roadside ambush, a member of parliament was kidnapped for several weeks, and an Indian author and midwife was dragged from her home in an eastern village and shot in the middle of the night. |
| Taliban campaigns against both government officials and working women suggest female officers are especially vulnerable to insurgent attacks – because there are so few of them in Helmand they are also more prominent and easier to target. | Taliban campaigns against both government officials and working women suggest female officers are especially vulnerable to insurgent attacks – because there are so few of them in Helmand they are also more prominent and easier to target. |
| Many male police colleagues waited for the same bus as Nigara, and the effort put into tracking her movements and those of Islam Bibi and Shah Bibi to plan the assassinations has not been matched by attacks on male police. | Many male police colleagues waited for the same bus as Nigara, and the effort put into tracking her movements and those of Islam Bibi and Shah Bibi to plan the assassinations has not been matched by attacks on male police. |
| Officials say they still do not know who was behind the killing of any of the three women, and have not detained anyone. | Officials say they still do not know who was behind the killing of any of the three women, and have not detained anyone. |
| Heather Barr, Afghanistan researcher with Human Rights Watch, said: "What, if anything, is the government doing to look after the security of women in these positions who are clearly under threat?. | Heather Barr, Afghanistan researcher with Human Rights Watch, said: "What, if anything, is the government doing to look after the security of women in these positions who are clearly under threat?. |
| "You wonder if they are trying, because these attacks never seem to be solved. You don't see any particular response." | "You wonder if they are trying, because these attacks never seem to be solved. You don't see any particular response." |
| Many policewomen also face intimidation from their families. Months before her death, Islam Bibi said her brother had ordered her to give up work, although she defied him. Together the risks make a government target for expanding the number of policewomen look like a forlorn hope. | Many policewomen also face intimidation from their families. Months before her death, Islam Bibi said her brother had ordered her to give up work, although she defied him. Together the risks make a government target for expanding the number of policewomen look like a forlorn hope. |
| "How does the government think they can recruit 5,000 female police officers by the end of next year if they aren't doing anything to stop their senior officers being murdered?" Barr added. | "How does the government think they can recruit 5,000 female police officers by the end of next year if they aren't doing anything to stop their senior officers being murdered?" Barr added. |
| Additional reporting by Mokhtar Amiri | Additional reporting by Mokhtar Amiri |
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