Policeman Killed, Four Wounded in Attack on Polio Vaccination Team Guards in Pakistan

A policeman was killed and four others wounded when unidentified gunmen attacked security personnel guarding a polio vaccination team in Thall tehsil of Hangu district in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on April 13, 2026.

The incident occurred on the first day of Pakistan's nationwide polio vaccination campaign, the second round of the year, which is scheduled to run through April 19. The drive aims to immunize more than 45 million children under the age of five.

Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only two countries where poliovirus has not been eradicated. Militants have repeatedly targeted polio vaccination teams in both nations, posing ongoing challenges to eradication efforts.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Thall, a remote area in Hangu district. Security forces responded to the scene, but further details on the assailants or the status of the wounded were not immediately available.

The campaign comes amid heightened security measures due to previous attacks on health workers and their escorts. Pakistan has reported multiple polio cases this year, underscoring the persistent threat in the region.