We should never forget this brave soul.
LONDON -- A Pakistani schoolgirl who
was shot in the head by the Taliban is in stable condition after undergoing two
successful operations to reconstruct her skull and restore her hearing, the
British hospital treating her said Sunday.
Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth
Hospital said doctors for 15-year-old Malala Yousufzai, who was targeted for
advocating girls' education, were "very pleased" with her progress
after five hours of skull reconstruction and ear surgery on Saturday.
"She is awake and talking to
staff and members of her family," the hospital said in a statement, adding
that she would continue to recover in the hospital until she is well enough to
be discharged.
The teenager drew the world's
attention when she was shot by Taliban militants on Oct. 9 on her way home on a
school bus in northwestern Pakistan. The Islamist group said they targeted her
because she promoted girls' education and "Western thinking" and
criticized the militant group's behavior when it took over the scenic Swat
Valley where she lived.
At age 11, Malala began to write a
blog under a pseudonym for the BBC about life under the Taliban in the Swat
Valley. After Pakistan's military ousted the militants in 2009, she began
publicly speaking out about the need for girls' education. She appeared
frequently in the media and was given one of the country's highest civilian
honors for her bravery.
The shooting sparked outrage in
Pakistan and around the world, and her story has captured global attention for
the struggle for women's rights in Pakistan. In a sign of her reach, the teen
made the shortlist for Time magazine's "Person of the Year" for 2012.
Malala was airlifted to Britain from
Pakistan in October to receive specialized medical care and protection against
further Taliban threats. She is expected to remain in the U.K. for some time
after her father, Ziauddin, was given a diplomatic post based in the English
city of Birmingham.
So far, doctors say she has made
very good progress. She was able to stand, write and return home, and doctors
said they have seen minimum signs of brain damage.