An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has sentenced 10 men to life imprisonment for their involvement in the brutal attack on Pakistani school girl, Malala Yousafzai.
Although charges are yet to be released, officials say all men charged were Taliban affiliated. The chief suspect, 23 year old Ataullah Khan, was not among those convicted.
Yousafzai, who was 15 at the time, was shot in the head on her way to school in 2012. Targeted for her advocacy of girls education, two other girls were also injured in the attack when members of the Taliban boarded their school bus and asked, “Who is Malala?” before opening fire.
Yousafzai starting blogging anonymously for the BBC about living under the Taliban at the age of 11, following threats made by the organisation regarding the closure girls schools in the region. She was also known for her public protestations on the subject.
Yousafzai sustained critical head injuries and was flown to Birmingham to receive critical medical attention. She still resides there with her family, due to ongoing threats against her life.
Last year she was awarded the Nobel Peace prize for her continued advocacy of women’s rights and children’s education. At 17, she is the youngest person ever to receive the accolade.
The Taliban ruled the Swat Valley, a mountainous region which borders Afghanistan, from 2007 to 2011, but they continue to operate in the area. Local leader, Mullah Fazlullah, who was believed to have ordered the attack, is thought to be in Afghanistan now.
