Militant Attack on Polio Team in Pakistan

Suspected militants opened fire on a vehicle carrying police officers protecting polio workers in Hangu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan, killing one officer and wounding four others. Two attackers were killed when police returned fire. This attack occurred shortly after Pakistan launched its second nationwide anti-polio campaign of the year, aiming to vaccinate over 45 million children under 5. First lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari urged families to ensure vaccination. Afghanistan also began its first national polio vaccination campaign, coordinating with Pakistan to combat cross-border transmission. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only countries where polio has not been eradicated, and health workers and police are frequently targeted by militants who falsely claim vaccination campaigns are a Western conspiracy.