AN OUTSPOKEN female Afghan MP has survived a suicide bombing attack on her vehicle, suffering minor injuries in a blast which killed three civilian bystanders.

Shukria Barakzai is a women's rights advocate and a close ally of new president Ashraf Ghani, who condemned the attack in a statement.

Speaking from her hospital bed, she said: "I survived because of my people's prayers."

The bombing was the latest to target members of the US-backed Afghan government, which is fighting a fierce onslaught by the Islamist Taliban movement as most foreign combat troops prepare to leave Afghanistan by the end of the year.

Hashmat Stanekzai, a spokesman for Kabul's police chief, said three civilians were killed by the suicide attacker and more than 10 wounded.

Ms Barakzai revealed in a 2005 interview she had run a secret school for girls during the Taliban's five-year rule, during which harsh restrictions were imposed on women.

The Taliban's government was toppled by US-backed Afghan forces after it refused to hand over the al Qaeda planners of the 9/11 attacks on the US.

Ms Barakzai is a member of the team Mr Ghani appointed to help choose a new cabinet after he took office in late September after a bitter electoral dispute.