A former Afghan female lawmaker and her bodyguard were shot dead by unknown assailants at her home in Kabul, police said on Sunday.

Mursal Nabizada was among the few female parliamentarians who had stayed in Kabul after the Taliban seized power in August 2021. It is the first time a lawmaker from the previous administration has been killed in the city since the takeover.

Local police chief Molvi Hamidullah Khalid said Nabizada and her guard were shot dead around 3am in the same room. He said her brother and a second security guard were injured. A third security guard fled the scene with money and jewellery.

Nabizada died on the first floor of her home, which she used as her office. Khalid said investigations were underway. He did not answer questions about possible motives.

Nabizada was elected in 2019 to represent Kabul and stayed in office until the Taliban takeover.