Saba Sahar: Afghan director and actor hospitalised after being shot in Kabul, husband says

Sahar is one of Afghanistan’s first female filmmakers

Sahar was shot while traveling to work on Tuesday (REUTERS)

Actor and director Saba Sahar is in hospital after being shot in the Afghanistan capital Kabul, reports say.

Sahar, who is one of Afghanistan’s first female film directors, was travelling to work on Tuesday (25 August) when three gunmen opened fire on her car, her husband Emal Zaki told BBC News.

Zaki said that he heard gunshots five minutes after his wife left the house, with Zahar telling him over the phone that she’d been hit in the stomach. The severity of her injuries is unclear.

“I reached the scene and found them all wounded,” he recalled. “She received first aid and we transferred her to the emergency hospital and then to the police hospital.”

Zaki stated that the attack had happened in the west of the city, with Sahar and her two bodyguards being hit and injured. A driver and child also in the car were not hurt.

As well as being known for her directing work, Sahar is one of the most famous actors in Afghanistan.

She is a vocal women’s rights activist and works for the country’s interior ministry, as well as being trained as a police officer.

Her film and TV projects have explored themes of justice and corruption, including police series Commissioner Amanullah and Passing the Rainbow, in which she also played a police officer.

In response to the attack Amnesty International South Asia tweeted: “The rise in attacks and assassination attempts on human rights defenders, political activists, journalists and film actors is extremely worrying.

“These attacks must be investigated and the perpetrators held accountable. The authorities must protect everyone at risk.”

The UK in Afghanistan Twitter posted: “Condemn this cowardly attack on a brave Afghan woman. Wishing Saba Sahar a full recovery.”

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.