Gunmen Open Hearth on Police Officers Throughout Anti-Polio Drive in Southwest Pakistan, Killing 2

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — Gunmen on bikes opened fireplace on Pakistani police escorting a crew of polio staff on Tuesday throughout a door-to-door vaccination marketing campaign within the southwest, killing two law enforcement officials earlier than fleeing, police mentioned.

The polio staff had been unhurt within the assault on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, native police chief Asif Marwat mentioned.

Nobody has claimed duty, however Pakistan’s anti-polio campaigns are recurrently marked by violence. Islamic militants usually goal polio groups and police assigned to guard them, falsely claiming that the vaccination campaigns are a Western conspiracy to sterilize youngsters.

Since January, Pakistan has reported just one polio case, elevating hopes that the nation is near eradicating the illness.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the final two nations through which polio has not been eradicated.

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This materials will not be revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.