Local author saddened by Taliban shooting of schoolgirl

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- The author of the internationally acclaimed book 'The Kite Runner' says he is saddened by the Taliban shooting of a 14-year-old Pakistani school girl.

Dr. Khaled Hosseini lives in San Jose but he was born in Afghanistan. He says he sees the same Taliban hostility against women and girls in his homeland. The Taliban came to young Malala Yousufza's school and attacked her on a bus with a bullet to the head. She's been fighting for education in Pakistan for girls.

"This young lady's crime was to basically blog about her desire for a free education and her criticism of the Taliban imposing their rule and trying to prevent young girls from being educated," Hosseini said. "We've seen atrocious heinous acts against young girls who want nothing more than to go to school and enjoy the same rights that anybody else does around the world."

Vigils are held for Malala as she fights for her life. The United Nations announced its first ever "International Day of the Girl Child" Thursday and condemned the attack on her.

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