It's been almost two years since the attempted assassination of
Malala Yousafzai. In October 2012, the young 15-year old activist was on a school bus, when a group of terrorists jumped on, shot Malala in the face, and left her for dead. Two other students were wounded. The Taliban extremists claimed responsibility for the attack, with pride, saying their intent was to kill Yousafzai, in order to 'teach a lesson' to any others who were thinking of speaking out, or advocating the education of girls.
Now, for the first time there is some promising news about the case. On September 12, New York Times reported:
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Ten militants have been taken into custody in connection with the 2012 shooting of Malala Yousafzai, a teenager who defied the Taliban with her outspoken calls for girls’ education, said a spokesman for the Pakistani military.
The military spokesman, Maj. General Asim Saleem Bajwa, said the arrests were the product of a joint operation between the military intelligence agency and the police.
General Bajwa identified two of the militants being held as Israr ur Rehman and Izhar Ullah. Mr. Rehman was said to be the first to be arrested, and his interrogation led to the arrest of others in the group.
Malala has not only survived since her attack, she has confidently thrived. The amazing young girl was
back in school within a year of the shooting.
Songs have been written about Malala, and
nations around the world applaud her bravery. In 2013, Yousafzai was a
nominee for the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Though she did not win, many believe it will not be the last time she is considered for the esteemed award. At 17, Malala Yousafzai is now studying in Great Britain, due to death threats in Pakistan. She continues to be a
strong voice for education, and raises money and awareness via
The Malala Fund. Her first book,
'I Am Malala,' was released this year.
Additional information:
New York Times
Raw Story
Reuters
H/T Women's Rights News