A 14-year-old Pakistani activist shot by Taliban forces on her way home from school is in satisfactory condition Friday. But doctors say the next few days are critical to her recovery.

Malala Yousufzai is being kept unconscious and on a ventilator. Doctors say it's too soon to say whether there is any long-term damage.

The girl was targeted by the Taliban over a blog she writes exposing their atrocities and advocating for girls' education.

Pakistan's top military official condemned Tuesday's shooting, calling the 14-year-old an "icon of courage and hope."

"In attacking Malala, the terrorist have failed to grasp that she is not only an individual, but an icon of courage and hope who vindicates the great sacrifices that the people of Swat and the nation gave, for wresting the valley from the scourge of terrorism," Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said in a statement.

Small rallies and prayer sessions were held for her in around the country. Pakistanis also took to social media, newspapers, and television to voice their disgust with the attack and express their admiration for a girl who spoke out against the Taliban when few dared.

Officials say arrests in the shooting have been made.