Taliban Vow to Kill Teen Blogger

By Marcos Gonzalez

The family of the teen who survived a Taliban assassination attempt asks for prayers to help her recover.

Malala Yousufzai, 14, is still in critical condition and has been airlifted to Rawalpindi, the top military medical facility in Pakistan.

Taliban enforcers entered Malala’s school bus and shot her and two other girls as they returned from school in the Swat Valley.

The Taliban have taken full responsibility for their actions for shooting Malala, who angered the terrorist group by blogging about her struggles with wanting to go to school and being forced to stay home instead by the Taliban’s scare tactics.

In 2011, Malala was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize, and was awarded Pakistan’s first National Youth Peace Prize.

Doctors have said she is improving though her condition continues to be serious.

“The next 36 to 48 hours are critical for Malala now and we are hoping for an improvement,” said Generaal Asim Bajwa, “She needs to rest and she is in no condition to be moved.”

Malala’s uncle, Faiz Muhammad, said she has not been responsive for more than 24 hours since they removed the bullet from her spine.

“We are counting on all the prayers of the nation,” Muhammad said. “The prayers are with us, so, God willing, everything is going to be fine.”

Several figures in the U.S. have chimed in on the issue including former first lady Laura Bush.

“Her life represents a brighter future for Pakistan and the region,” Bush wrote. “We must speak up before these acts occur, work to ensure that they do not happen again, and keep our courage to continue to resist the ongoing cruelty and barbarism of the Taliban. Malala Yousafzai refused to look the other way. We owe it to her courage and sacrifice to do the same.”

The attack has caused concern to the Pakistani military who believed they had a strong hold of the Swat area. Mingora, the city where the shooting took place, is in the middle of the Swat region. Pakistanis believe the tragedy to be evidence that the Taliban have made there way into the area.

Photo Courtesy: AP Images