Malala’s classmates return to school

PESHAWAR: Two girls shot by a Taliban hit squad trying to kill their classmate, Malala Yousufzai, returned to school on Thursday under tight security.

A gunman attacked Yousufzai, who campaigned for girls' education despite threats from the Taliban, on Oct. 9 as she was leaving school in Swat valley. She was wounded in the head and her two school friends were also wounded.

The shooting provoked widespread outrage and brought Yousufzai, who is recovering in a British hospital, international admiration for her campaigning.

On Thursday, police escorted her teenaged classmates, Kainat Riaz and Shazia Ramazan, back to school.

"I am very excited to resume my studies once again in the school, but I will definitely miss Malala," Kainat, who was shot in the arm, told Reuters.

The two girls will have security escorts indefinitely, police said.