A WOMAN who fled from Afghanistan after a failed assassination attempt is standing as a candidate in the 2022 Oldham Council elections.

Marzia Babakarkhail is set to be the candidate for the Labour Party in Failsworth East Ward to replace the current incumbent Norman Briggs in May.

A former family court judge, Marzia was targeted by the Taliban around 14 years ago as she is a committed campaigner for women's rights.

A member of the movement ran her over with a car.

She spent six months in hospital and then fled to the UK, despite not speaking a word of English.

Now a citizen and living in Failsworth, Marzia is a case worker for Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams. Speaking to The Oldham Times, she explained the decision to start a political career of her own.

She said: "It'll be a new challenge, a new experience.

"I want to give back to the community and to build bridges in society."

Marzia said she hopes to cut through the combative discourse which is common in Oldham Council and in particular in Failsworth East Ward.

As a refugee who became a citizen, she also hopes to show other refugees that their lives are not over once forced to flee from their countries.

She said: "My activism [for asylum seekers and women's rights] is a fight. But becoming a councillor is not a fight.

"It's to stand for humanity, spread love, and work hard to make a difference in the community."

When Cllr Briggs last retained his seat in 2018, he earned around 50 per cent of the vote, and 500 or so more votes than the nearest candidate. But in the two elections since then, the Failsworth Independent Party's Brian Hobin and Neil Hindle have gained the ward's other two seats from the Labour Party.

Marzia acknowledged the election in around 100 days is a tough task, but explained this is no reason not to go for it.

She said: "It's a difficult seat, but if I think: 'Oh, this is difficult, this is difficult', I might as well sleep for 24 hours a day. I wouldn't go for anything."