A woman who was six months pregnant has lost her unborn baby after her husband nearly beat her to death and cut part of her genitals.

The victim, who is in her 20s, said her husband launched an unprovoked attack on her with a wooden stick, cut her hair with a pair of scissors and shaved parts of her head.

She said his mother and her sister-in-law helped him tie her up with a rope and then beat her senseless.

The shocking incident happened in the Ashkamish district of Takhar province.

The victim, who is in her 20s, said her husband launched an unprovoked attack on her with a wooden stick

The head of Takhar's Women's Affairs Department Ramz Ara has strongly condemned the attack.

'She has been mutilated and because of the violence she has lost her baby,' Ramz Ara told Tolo News.

The victim is currently in hospital in Kunduz.

Abdul Khalil Aseer, spokesman for Takhar police headquarters, said: 'The name of her husband is Sarbaland and he is on the run now, two other criminals mentioned in the statement are now in Kabul'.

The incident highlights the endemic violence against women in Afghan society, despite reforms since the hardline Taliban Islamist regime was ousted by the 2001 U.S.-led invasion.

The attack came just 24 hours after a pregnant 20-year-old was reportedly shot dead by members of her husband's family in the northern Faryab province, the BBC reported.

They had accused the woman of having an affair.

Earlier in the year, 20-year-old Reza Gul had her nose cut off by her abusive husband using a pocket knife.

The story sparked fury across the world after pictures of Reza's bloodied face were shared on social media, with many deploring the country's appalling record of domestic violence.

Kabul-based women's rights activist Alema said at the time: 'Such a brutal and barbaric act should be strongly condemned.

'Such incidents would not happen if the government judicial system severely punished attacks on women.'

The government has vowed to protect women's rights but that has not prevented deadly attacks.

Last November a young woman was stoned to death after being accused of adultery in the central province of Ghor.

And last March a woman named Farkhunda was savagely beaten and set ablaze in central Kabul after being falsely accused of burning a Koran.

The mob killing triggered angry protests nationwide and drew global attention to the treatment of Afghan women.

In 2010, Time magazine put the photograph of a mutilated 18-year-old, Bibi Aisha, on its cover. Her nose was cut off by an abusive husband.