Militants responsible for shooting youth education activist Malala Yousafzai arrested

ISLAMABAD, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Those responsible for shooting Malala Yousafzai, the teenage education advocate who survived a Taliban assassination attempt in 2012, have been arrested.

Malala was attacked on October 9, 2012 as she returned home from school in Mingora, in the northwestern Swat District. She had become a target of the Taliban for her outspoken views on behalf of equal education rights for girls. Shot three times, she was in critical condition for days.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Pakistani military's Inter Services Public Relations wing announced the arrest of 10 members of the "Shura" militant group.

Maj. Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa, ISPR Director General, shared news of the arrest via Twitter, writing: "Entire gang of 10 terrorists involved in attempt to kill Malala in Swat busted and apprehended by security forces."

"It was an intelligence based joint operation conducted by ISI, police and military," Bajwa said at a press conference. Security forces were able to identify the suspects with information provided by Israrur Rehman, one of the first militant group members to be arrested.

"The group was led by Zafar Iqbal, an owner of a furniture shop of Swat. He was in contact with TTP head Mulla Fazlullah, who was operating from Kunar province of Afghanistan."

The arrested will be tried an a counter-terrorism court.