Schools in Afghanistan opened Saturday with special prayers for the quick recovery of Malala Yousafzai shot in the head by Taliban, in a move officials said was to show solidarity with her. The shooting of the 14-year-old activist was denounced around the world.
"To show sympathy to Malala Yousafzai around 9.5 million students all over the country in 15,500 schools and education centres offered prayers for her quick recovery," education ministry spokesman Amanullah Iman told AFP. "The students also expressed their solidarity to their sister (Malala) because the attack on her was an attack on education," he said.
"Malala is just a girl and student like us, she shouldn't have been shot," Freshta, a 10 grade pupil told AFP. "Today we recited the Holy Quran and prayed for her recovery," she said. The show of solidarity to Malala comes two days after armed men attacked a girls' school in relatively peaceful Bamyan province in central Afghanistan, causing considerable damage but no injuries, official said.