Two Policemen Killed in Attack on Anti-Polio Security Team in Pakistan’s Mohmand District

Peshawar (Terror Monitor) — Two police personnel assigned to protect polio vaccination teams were killed and another was wounded when armed men riding a motorcycle opened fire on them in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday, police officials said.

The attack took place in the Mohmand tribal district as the officers were travelling to a nearby village to provide security to polio vaccination workers during an ongoing immunisation campaign.

Police officer Ayaz Khan confirmed that the personnel came under fire while heading to join a vaccination team. The attackers fled the scene after the shooting, and no group had immediately claimed responsibility.

According to details reported by Pakistani newspaper Dawn, the attack occurred near the Hashim Kor police checkpost in the Dag Tamanzai area of Pindiali tehsil. The deceased officers were identified as Constables Zahoor Khan and Arbai Khan, while the injured policeman was identified as Sabir Khan.

The injured officer was shifted for medical treatment, while security personnel launched efforts to trace the attackers.

Interior minister condemns attack

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the shooting, describing the attack on police personnel deployed to protect polio workers as unacceptable.

Naqvi expressed condolences to the families of the two officers and wished the injured policeman a speedy recovery.

He said the personnel assigned to protect vaccination teams were working to secure a healthier future for the country and that attacks on them would not be tolerated.

President Asif Ali Zardari also condemned the attack and paid tribute to the police personnel for their service, according to Pakistani media reports.

Four polio workers abducted in separate incident

The shooting came amid other security incidents affecting the vaccination campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Associated Press reported that four polio workers were abducted by suspected militants in the Tank district on Monday. Provincial Governor Faisal Karim Kundi condemned the abduction and called on authorities to take immediate measures to secure their safe recovery.

In a separate incident in Lower South Waziristan, two members of a vaccination team were also reportedly abducted but were later released, according to Pakistani media reports.

The incidents have renewed concerns about the security of health workers and police personnel involved in vaccination efforts in the province.

Militants have repeatedly targeted polio campaigns

Polio vaccination teams and the police assigned to protect them have faced repeated attacks in parts of Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

The Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups have previously targeted vaccination campaigns, spreading false claims that polio immunisation is part of a Western conspiracy to sterilise children.

Health authorities and international medical organisations reject these allegations. The oral polio vaccine is considered safe and effective and remains a central tool in preventing the disease, which can cause permanent paralysis and, in severe cases, death.

Attacks on vaccination teams not only endanger the lives of health workers and their security escorts but also make it more difficult to reach children in remote and high-risk communities.

Pakistan launches campaign to vaccinate 24 million children

The attack occurred as Pakistan began a new sub-national polio vaccination campaign running from November 2 to 8.

According to the Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative, the campaign aims to vaccinate approximately 24 million children under the age of five in 97 selected high-risk districts. More than 200,000 frontline polio workers are taking part in the drive.

The campaign is part of Pakistan’s continuing efforts to interrupt the transmission of poliovirus and prevent children from developing lifelong disabilities.

Pakistan has made substantial progress in reducing polio cases, but the virus continues to circulate. The country reported 31 cases in 2025, while the number recorded in 2026 has reached eight, according to the latest reports from Pakistani media citing the National Emergency Operations Centre.

Six of the eight cases reported this year have been recorded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including a recent case involving a 13-month-old girl in the Khyber district.

Pakistan and Afghanistan remain polio-endemic countries

Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan are the only two countries where wild poliovirus remains endemic, according to the World Health Organization.

Polio has no cure, but vaccination can prevent infection and protect children against the risk of lifelong paralysis. Health authorities therefore stress that every child under five should receive the recommended vaccine doses during campaigns, even if they have been vaccinated previously.

Public health officials say eliminating polio requires not only sustained vaccination efforts but also effective security arrangements for frontline workers, particularly in areas where armed groups have repeatedly threatened or attacked immunisation teams.

The latest killing of two policemen in Mohmand highlights the risks faced by personnel tasked with protecting those efforts as Pakistan continues its campaign to eradicate the disease.