During a polio vaccination campaign in northwestern Pakistan, an explosive device targeted a police vehicle, resulting in the deaths of at least five officers and injuring nearly two dozen others. The incident occurred in Bajaur, a tribal district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, coinciding with Pakistan's launch of the latest vaccination drive.
Officials stated that the explosion occurred early in the morning while a police team was engaged in the polio vaccination campaign. Most of the injured were taken to a local hospital in Bajaur, with critically wounded individuals transported to Peshawar, situated approximately 133km (82 miles) south of Bajaur, according to Bilal Faizi, the spokesperson for provincial rescue services.
Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet, in recent years, the Pakistan Taliban (TTP) has been implicated in numerous attacks targeting polio vaccination workers and security personnel in Pakistan.
Resistance against the polio immunisation efforts grew following a fake vaccination drive orchestrated by the CIA to trace Osama bin Laden, leading to skepticism and distrust among the local population. Additionally, misinformation spread by religious leaders in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region, alleging that the vaccine contained elements prohibited in Islam such as pork and alcohol, further contributed to hesitancy towards the vaccination campaign.