US News

Nobel Prize snub stuns Malala supporters

A little-known chemical weapons watchdog group bested international teen activist Malala Yousafzai for the Nobel Peace Prize Friday.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons — a United Nations-backed group most recently working to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile — was given the prestigious $1.2 million award for its 16 years of “extensive efforts” under the International Chemical Weapons Convention, Nobel officials said.

“The conventions and the work of the OPCW have defined the use of chemical weapons as a taboo under international law,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said in making the award. “Recent events in Syria, where chemical weapons have again been put to use, have underlined the need to enhance the efforts to do away with such weapons.”

The OPCW win stunned supporters of 16-year-old Malala, who had been widely tipped to win the honor.

The outspoken Pakistani teen activist – who would have the youngest-ever Peace Prize winner — has for years defiantly spoken out against the Taliban’s treatment of school girls. At age 11, she began penning an anonymous blog championing girls’ rights to education in her country.

Malala became an international force last October after she was shot in the head by Taliban forces as she rode on a school bus with classmates.

The brave teen has addressed the United Nations, and on Thursday was awarded the Andrei Sakharov Prize, a top human right award,  by the European Parliament for standing up to oppressors.

Her memoir,  “I am Malala,” was released this week on the one-year anniversary of the shooting — bringing with it more death threats from the Taliban.

Nobel organizers declined to say whether Malala was considered for this year’s Peace Prize.