Two policemen martyred in attacks on polio teams in Bajaur

PESHAWAR: At least two police personnel were martyred in separate attacks targeting polio vaccination teams in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district on Monday, police officials confirmed.

According to a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), unidentified assailants opened fire on security personnel assigned to protect anti-polio teams in the Tabbai and Dag Qila areas of Salarzai tehsil.

The martyred policemen were identified as Qadir and Aziz.

Police officials said the attackers fled the scene after the assaults, while security forces launched a search operation in the area to trace the militants involved.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the attacks and sought a detailed report from the provincial inspector general of police.

“Targeting officials performing national duty is a cowardly act,” the chief minister said in a statement, adding that terrorists would never succeed in their “nefarious designs” aimed at destabilising peace and obstructing public welfare campaigns.

Anti-polio campaigns in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have frequently come under attack by militant groups, particularly in areas affected by militancy and terrorism. Security personnel deployed to protect vaccination teams are often targeted in an attempt to disrupt immunisation drives.

Earlier this year, four policemen were martyred in two separate firing incidents targeting security officials during polio campaigns in different parts of the province.