Violent crime against women in Afghanistan hit record levels and became increasingly brutal in 2013, the head of the country’s human rights commission has said, a sign that hard won rights are being rolled back as foreign troops prepare to withdraw.

Only yesterday a 10-year old girl who was about to be used by the Taliban as a suicide bomber was saved by the police in Helmand.

Brutality is really bad. Cutting the nose, lips and ears

Restoring women’s rights after the Taliban was ousted by a US-led coalition of troops in 2001 was cited as one of the main objectives of the war.

Under Taliban rule, women were required to wear the head-to-toe covering burqa and barred from leaving their homes without being escorted by a male relative. Schools for girls were shut down.

Sima Samar, chair of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), said that the brutality of attacks on women had greatly intensified last year.

“The brutality of the cases is really bad. Cutting the nose, lips and ears. Committing public rape,” she said. “Mass rape... It’s against dignity, against humanity.”

She attributed the increase in crime to a culture of impunity and the imminent departure of international troops and aid workers, leaving women more exposed to attack.

In addition, more cases were reported as women became aware of their rights. “The presence of the international community and provincial reconstruction teams in most of the provinces was giving people confidence,” Samar said.

“There were people there trying to protect women. And that is not there anymore, unfortunately.”