Aamir Latif
May 31, 2023•Update: May 31, 2023
KARACHI, Pakistan
Suspected militants attacked anti-polio vaccinators on Wednesday in northwest Pakistan, killing an army troop deployed on their security, the military said.
The attack, the latest in a series of ambushes on polio teams, took place in restive North Waziristan, Pakistan army's mouthpiece, Inter-Services Public Relations, said in a statement.
“Terrorists attempted to disrupt the ongoing polio campaign by firing on the members of (a) polio team in Spinwam, North Waziristan district.
“Security forces, deputed to provide protection to the polio team, effectively engaged terrorists' location ensuring the safety of all members of the team,” the statement said.
Pakistan is one of two countries – the other is Afghanistan – where polio still exists and the country remains under a polio-linked travel restriction imposed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Some militant groups often target vaccinators, mainly in border areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwestern Balochistan provinces.
They see anti-polio campaigns as part of an elaborate anti-Muslim, Western conspiracy and often issue death threats to vaccinators, many of whom are women.
Media reports said around 150 people associated with the drive, including security personnel, have been killed in Pakistan since December 2012.
UK army chief meets Pakistani counterpart
UK Chief of General Staff (CGS) Gen. Patrick Nicholas Yardley Monrad Sanders called on Pakistan's army chief Gen. Asim Munir to discuss "regional security issues and matters of mutual interest."
The meeting was held at Pakistan Army's headquarters, commonly known as the General Headquarters, in the northeastern city of Rawalpindi, the army said in a separate statement.
Sanders, according to the statement, acknowledged the "sacrifices and achievements" of the Pakistan Army in the fight against terrorism and efforts for bringing peace and stability to the region.
