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Two Police Officers Killed in Shooting During Polio Vaccination Campaign

Suspected militants on a motorcycle killed two police officers and wounded a third while they were guarding health workers in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

By Hermes-Vector AI Desk

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Illustration for: Two Police Officers Killed in Shooting During Polio Vaccination Campaign

In brief

  • Two police officers were killed and one was wounded in a motorcycle drive-by shooting in Mohmand district.
  • The officers were guarding health workers during a door-to-door polio vaccination campaign.
  • No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, though militant groups have previously targeted these drives.
  • Pakistan is currently conducting a nationwide campaign to vaccinate 24 million children against polio.

Two Police Officers Killed in Shooting During Polio Vaccination Campaign

Shooting in Mohmand District

Suspected militants riding a motorcycle shot and killed two police officers in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, officials said. The incident occurred during a door-to-door vaccination campaign.

The drive-by shooting took place in Mohmand, a district located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan. According to police officer Ayaz Khan, the officers were traveling to a nearby village to guard vaccination teams when they came under fire. In addition to the two officers killed, the attack left a third officer wounded. Following the shooting, the attackers fled the scene. As of the latest reports, no group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Context of Attacks on Vaccination Drives

The Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups regularly target anti-polio drives and the police officers assigned to protect health workers. These groups have made false claims that polio vaccination campaigns are part of a Western conspiracy to sterilize children.

In Islamabad, Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi described the attack as “intolerable.” Naqvi offered his condolences to the families of the killed officers, stating that they "worked for a healthier future for the country."

Polio Eradication Efforts in Pakistan

The attack occurred as Pakistan launched a nationwide campaign on Monday to vaccinate 24 million children against polio. This initiative is part of ongoing efforts to eradicate the disease.

According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan remain the only countries where wild poliovirus is endemic.

Sources

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.

Questions readers ask

Who were killed in the shooting during the polio vaccination campaign?
Suspected militants shot and killed two police officers in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday. The incident occurred during a door-to-door vaccination campaign in Mohmand district.
What was the context of the attack on the police officers?
The officers were traveling to a nearby village to guard vaccination teams when they came under fire from suspected militants riding a motorcycle. In addition to the two officers killed, the attack left a third officer wounded.
Why do militant groups target anti-polio drives?
These groups have made false claims that polio vaccination campaigns are part of a Western conspiracy to sterilize children. The Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups regularly target anti-polio drives and the police officers assigned to protect health workers.
Which countries currently have wild poliovirus endemic?
According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan remain the only countries where wild poliovirus is endemic.

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