Afghan female MP survives suicide attack, 3 dead: officials

Interior ministry spokesperson says she is fine and received minor injuries

KABUL: A suicide bomber on Sunday targeted a vehicle convoy of Afghan lawmakers that included a prominent female MP, killing three civilians and injuring 17 others, officials said.

The blast, in which the attacker detonated an explosives-packed car, left the MPs' vehicles badly damaged on a main road in the west of Kabul, close to the parliament.

"(Shukria) Barekzai -- she is fine and suffers small injuries," interior ministry spokesperson Sediq Sediqqi said of the politician via Twitter.

Minister of interior met MP Barekzai she is fine and suffers small injuries. Reports of her family killed in this attack are not true.

— Sediq Sediqqi 🇦🇫 (@SediqSediqqi) November 16, 2014

"Unfortunately three civilians (were) martyred and around 17 injured in today's attack."

Barekzai is renowned as a campaigner for improved women's rights in Afghanistan, a stance that attracts fierce opposition from many militant groups.

She has spoken about receiving regular death threats.

Shinkay Karokhil, another female MP, told AFP: "The target was a convoy of MPs who were driving toward the parliament. Shukria Barekzai was affected by the attack but she is fine."

The attack came the day after President Ashraf Ghani ended a two-day visit to neighbouring Pakistan.

Ghani, a supporter of better women's rights, said improved relations with Pakistan could aid security in the troubled region as US-led Nato combat troops leave Afghanistan after more than a decade of fighting the Taliban.