Militants Kill Police Officers Protecting Polio Vaccination Teams in Pakistan
(MENAFN) Suspected militants shot dead at least two police officers assigned to protect polio vaccination workers in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, according to the country's Interior Ministry.
A third officer sustained injuries during the attack in the Mohmand tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The incident marks another attack targeting personnel involved in polio immunization efforts, coinciding with the launch of a nationwide vaccination drive on Sunday. The campaign aims to reach nearly 24 million children across 97 districts considered at high risk.
Police said the officers were traveling to join a vaccination team when gunmen opened fire on them.
No organization had claimed responsibility for the assault at the time of reporting. Security officials, however, suspected the involvement of militants linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has repeatedly targeted polio vaccination teams.
Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only countries where polio is endemic.
Pakistan has recorded eight cases of the disease so far this year.
A third officer sustained injuries during the attack in the Mohmand tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The incident marks another attack targeting personnel involved in polio immunization efforts, coinciding with the launch of a nationwide vaccination drive on Sunday. The campaign aims to reach nearly 24 million children across 97 districts considered at high risk.
Police said the officers were traveling to join a vaccination team when gunmen opened fire on them.
No organization had claimed responsibility for the assault at the time of reporting. Security officials, however, suspected the involvement of militants linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has repeatedly targeted polio vaccination teams.
Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only countries where polio is endemic.
Pakistan has recorded eight cases of the disease so far this year.
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