A remote-controlled bomb targeting a police van injured six police personnel and seven civilians in South Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Monday, according to Geo News, citing hospital officials.
The bomb detonated on Kir Kot Road in Wana’s Rustam Bazar, authorities confirmed. Police and rescue teams quickly responded to the scene, transporting the injured to the District Headquarters Hospital in Wana. One critically injured person was transferred to Dera Ismail Khan for further treatment.
Dr. Hamad Mahmood, Medical Superintendent at the hospital, stated that both civilians and police officers were among those injured in the blast.
The attack occurred just as an anti-polio campaign kicked off in the region. Police sources revealed that two police vehicles were en route to Krikot Road to provide security for polio workers when one of the vehicles was hit by the bomb. Security forces have since cordoned off the area, and an investigation is underway.
The polio campaign, overseen by District Health Officer Dr. Inayat Rahman, aims to vaccinate around 70,000 children over the age of five across the district. To ensure the safety of the 297 polio teams involved, 480 police personnel have been deployed throughout the area.
Both polio workers and security personnel remain vulnerable to attacks in Pakistan, particularly in its more conservative northwestern regions. In recent years, threats to those working to eradicate polio have increased, with dozens of workers and security personnel targeted in violent incidents. Just this July, two police officers on polio duty were injured in separate attacks in Tank and Dera Ismail Khan districts, underscoring the ongoing security challenges faced by health teams.
