ISLAMABAD, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Pakistan's army said on Friday authorities had arrested a group of Taliban militants responsible for shooting Malala Yousafzai, a teenage activist who was targeted for her campaign against Taliban efforts to deny girls education.

Pakistani Taliban militants have claimed responsibility for shooting Malala in 2012 for her passionate advocacy of women's right to education but no one had until now been arrested. Two other schoolgirls were wounded in the attack.

Asim Bajwa, head of the army's press wing, told reporters that 10 attackers had been identified and arrested.

Malala survived and was airlifted to Britain for treatment, and has since become a symbol of defiance in the fight against militants operating in Pashtun tribal areas in northwest Pakistan.

Malala has won the European Union's human rights award and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize last year.

Now based in Britain, she is unable to return to her homeland because of Taliban threats to kill her and her family members. (Reporting by Syed Raza Hassan; Writing by Maria Golovnina; Editing by Robert Birsel)