Polio team attack in South Waziristan leaves policeman martyred

(Web Desk): A police constable was martyred and a militant killed during a gunfight after an attack on a polio vaccination team in South Waziristan on Monday, police said.

The constable was on duty providing security for the polio team when the attackers opened fire. In the exchange of gunfire, one terrorist was killed.

Police recovered weapons and other items from the militant, including a rocket launcher, a machine gun, two motorcycles, a national identity card, three ATM cards, and a smartphone.

A case has been registered at the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station in Azam Warsak.

This attack comes just a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif launched the second nationwide polio vaccination campaign of 2024, which runs from April 21 to April 27. Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only countries in the world where polio is still endemic.

Militants in Pakistan often target polio teams, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan. In 2024 alone, 20 people have been killed and 53 injured during polio campaigns in KP.