Tragedy Strikes Again: Attacks Targeting Polio Workers Escalate in Pakistan

A roadside bomb in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan, killed three police officers escorting polio workers and injured two others. This follows an attack in Karak. The attacks coincide with Pakistan's final polio vaccination drive for the year, highlighting ongoing security challenges for healthcare efforts.

In northwest Pakistan's Dera Ismail Khan district, a roadside bomb exploded on Tuesday, targeting a vehicle carrying police officers tasked with protecting polio workers. The attack claimed the lives of three police officers and left two others injured, according to local authorities.

This incident occurred mere hours after an attack in Karak, where unidentified gunmen opened fire on police accompanying polio workers, culminating in the death of one officer and wounding a health worker. No group has stepped forward to claim responsibility for these attacks.

These violent episodes coincide with Pakistan's nationwide polio vaccination campaign, aimed at inoculating 45 million children. The country has confirmed 63 polio cases this year, illustrating persistent security threats to health initiatives, with over 200 polio workers and accompanying police killed since the 1990s.

(With inputs from agencies.)