A roadside bomb explosion in northwestern Pakistan injured at least 10 people, including anti-polio vaccinators and police personnel escorting them, VOA reported yesterday. The attack occurred on the opening day of a nationwide immunization campaign in the South Waziristan district.
Three health workers and six security personnel were among the victims. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the violence in the region where security forces are fighting militants linked to the outlawed Pakistani Taliban.
The attack comes as Pakistan reported its 17th wild poliovirus case of the year from Islamabad, marking the first infection in 16 years in the national capital. The nationwide polio immunization campaign aims to vaccinate more than 33 million children under five.
Pakistani health officials have urged parents to ensure their children get vaccinated, citing the challenges posed by vaccine boycotts and security threats. Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only two polio-endemic countries globally.
