Pakistan's Malala discharged from British hospital

The Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head by the Taliban as punishment for campaigning for girls' education has been discharged from the British hospital treating her, but will return soon for more surgery, the hospital said Friday.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, central England, said 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai would continue her rehabilitation at her family's temporary English home before undergoing major reconstructive surgery in a few weeks.

"Malala Yousufzai was discharged from Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB) as an inpatient yesterday (Jan 3, 2012) to continue her rehabilitation at her family’s temporary home in the West Midlands," its statement said.

"The 15-year-old, who was shot by the Taliban for campaigning for girls’ education, is well enough to be treated by the hospital as an outpatient for the next few weeks."

Malala was shot on her school bus by a Taliban gunman in October, in an attack that shocked the world.

The bullet grazed her brain, coming within centimetres of killing her, and she was airlifted from Pakistan to the specialist Queen Elizabeth Hospital days after the attack.

"She is still due to be re-admitted in late January or early February to undergo cranial reconstructive surgery as part of her long-term recovery. and in the meantime she will visit the hospital regularly to attend clinical appointments," the hospital said.