Militants Gun Down Two Police Officers Guarding Polio Workers in Pakistan

In a tragic turn of events, suspected militants in Pakistan have shot and killed two police officers who were assigned to escort polio workers. This marks the second such attack within a 24-hour span, targeting officers involved in the nationwide anti-polio drive.

In a tragic turn of events, suspected militants have carried out two attacks on police officers assigned to escort polio workers in northwest Pakistan within a span of 24 hours. The latest incident occurred in Bannu, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, where two police officers were killed and two others were wounded.

Attack in Bannu

According to Altaf Khan, a local police chief, the attack in Bannu unfolded on Tuesday. The assailants opened fire on the police officers, resulting in the deaths of two and injuries to two others. The police have launched a search operation in the area to apprehend the attackers, with one of them believed to be hiding in a house in Bannu.

Previous Attack and Death Toll

The attack in Bannu came just hours after authorities reported the death of an officer who was critically wounded in a roadside bombing on Monday. The bombing targeted police personnel protecting polio vaccination workers in northwestern Pakistan, raising the death toll from the incident to seven. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

Competing Claims of Responsibility

While the Pakistani Taliban promptly claimed responsibility for the attack, a competing claim emerged late on Monday from the Islamic State group. The Islamic State group accused the Pakistani Taliban of falsely taking credit for the bombing. This is not the first instance of competing claims between the two militant groups, both of which are active in the region.

Endemic Polio in Pakistan and Afghanistan

Pakistan and Afghanistan hold the unfortunate distinction of being the only countries in the world where polio remains endemic. Despite regular vaccination drives, Islamic militants continue to target polio teams and the police protecting them. These attacks are fueled by false claims that the vaccination campaigns are part of a Western conspiracy to sterilize children.

Suspension of Vaccination Drive

In the wake of the attacks, the vaccination drive in Mamund, where the roadside bombing occurred, has been suspended for a second day. The safety of polio workers and the police assigned to protect them remains a paramount concern as efforts continue to eradicate polio from Pakistan.