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Kabul mob attack: Women help bury 'wrongly accused' Farkhunda | Kabul mob attack: Women help bury 'wrongly accused' Farkhunda |
(about 4 hours later) | |
The coffin of a woman, killed by a mob in Kabul on an apparently false charge, has been carried by women, marking a break with Afghan funeral customs. | The coffin of a woman, killed by a mob in Kabul on an apparently false charge, has been carried by women, marking a break with Afghan funeral customs. |
Hundreds of people attended a funeral for the woman, named as Farkhunda, demanding her killers be punished. | Hundreds of people attended a funeral for the woman, named as Farkhunda, demanding her killers be punished. |
Farkhunda had been accused of burning the Koran, but an official investigator said there was no evidence for this. | Farkhunda had been accused of burning the Koran, but an official investigator said there was no evidence for this. |
The attack on the woman, as well as the alleged failure of police to intervene, have been heavily criticised. | The attack on the woman, as well as the alleged failure of police to intervene, have been heavily criticised. |
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he had ordered an investigation into the killing. | Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he had ordered an investigation into the killing. |
Footage of the attack, filmed on mobile phones, has been widely circulated on social media. | Footage of the attack, filmed on mobile phones, has been widely circulated on social media. |
A mob, largely made up of men, attacked the woman with sticks and stones, beating her to death before setting her body alight, while police reportedly looked on. | |
Witnesses said the crowd had accused the woman of burning a copy of the Koran. | Witnesses said the crowd had accused the woman of burning a copy of the Koran. |
The attack, near the Shah-Du-Shamshaira mosque and shrine, is thought to have been the first of its kind in Afghanistan. | The attack, near the Shah-Du-Shamshaira mosque and shrine, is thought to have been the first of its kind in Afghanistan. |
At the funeral on Sunday, women's activists carried the coffin, breaking with tradition as men usually perform that role. | At the funeral on Sunday, women's activists carried the coffin, breaking with tradition as men usually perform that role. |
An interior ministry official in charge of investigating the case said he had found no evidence that the woman had burnt the Koran. | An interior ministry official in charge of investigating the case said he had found no evidence that the woman had burnt the Koran. |
"Farkhunda was totally innocent," Gen Mohammad Zahir told reporters. He said 13 people, including eight police officers, had been arrested. | "Farkhunda was totally innocent," Gen Mohammad Zahir told reporters. He said 13 people, including eight police officers, had been arrested. |
Earlier claims that the woman was mentally ill have also been contradicted by a relative and a neighbour. | Earlier claims that the woman was mentally ill have also been contradicted by a relative and a neighbour. |
Farkhunda's brother told Reuters news agency that his sister was training to be a religious teacher. He said her father had said she was ill after hearing of her death, out of a desire to protect the rest of the family. | Farkhunda's brother told Reuters news agency that his sister was training to be a religious teacher. He said her father had said she was ill after hearing of her death, out of a desire to protect the rest of the family. |
A neighbour of the family, interviewed by the Associated Press, also said the woman had no history of mental problems and had been training as a teacher. | A neighbour of the family, interviewed by the Associated Press, also said the woman had no history of mental problems and had been training as a teacher. |
The US has spent millions of dollars on programmes designed to empower and educate Afghan women. | The US has spent millions of dollars on programmes designed to empower and educate Afghan women. |
However, women in much of the country still suffer discrimination, and attacks on them often go unpunished. | However, women in much of the country still suffer discrimination, and attacks on them often go unpunished. |
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