Full Breakdown
Gunmen Kill Two Police Officers Guarding Polio Vaccination Teams in Pakistan’s Bajaur District
5/18/2026, 11:23:42 PM
Attack Details
On 18 May 2026, gunmen opened fire in two locations within Bajaur, a district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bordering Afghanistan, killing two police officers assigned to escort polio-vaccination teams. Police officer Zafar Khan said the officers were returning home after completing their protective duties. No group claimed responsibility; authorities suspect the Pakistani Taliban or other local militant factions.
Background: Polio Eradication Efforts and Militant Opposition
Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only countries where wild-type poliovirus persists, per the WHO. The government launched a week-long campaign on 18 May targeting 79 high-risk districts to immunize 19 million children with oral drops. Militants have repeatedly attacked health workers and police escorts, spreading claims that the vaccine is a Western sterilization scheme.
Key Figures and Groups
- Zafar Khan – Police officer who reported the incident.
- Mohsin Naqvi – Interior Minister, who condemned the killings.
- Senior security official (Peshawar) – Provided details to AFP.
- Pakistani Taliban and local militant factions – Suspected perpetrators.
- World Health Organization (WHO) – Monitors polio status.
Data & Statistics
- The campaign aims to vaccinate 19 million children across 79 districts.
- >200 polio workers and police escorts have been killed in Pakistan since the 1990s.
- Hundreds of police officers and health workers have died in the past decade.
- Polio remains endemic only in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Official Statements & Responses
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi publicly condemned the attacks and offered condolences to the families of the deceased officers. Zafar Khan confirmed the victims were on their way home after safeguarding the vaccination teams. The senior security official described the assailants as “motorcycle-riding militants” and noted similar incidents in Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan.
Criticism & Opposition
Militant groups circulate misinformation, labeling the oral vaccine a “CIA plot to stop Muslims from having children” and a Western sterilization scheme. These narratives fuel local resistance and hinder security for health workers.
On-the-Ground Reports
Family members and fellow officers attended the funeral in Bajaur on 18 May. Witnesses reported gunmen arriving on motorcycles, firing at close range, and fleeing after the shootings.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
No organization has formally claimed responsibility, leaving attribution uncertain. The senior security official mentioned additional killings of policemen in Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan, but the initial report did not detail those incidents, highlighting a gap in coordinated reporting.
Verbatim Quotes
- “During the polio campaign in the tribal district of Bajaur district, two police officials assigned to protect vaccination teams were shot dead by motorcycle-riding militants in two separate attacks,” — Senior security official, Peshawar
- “terrorists gunned down two more policemen” — Senior security official, Peshawar
- “More than 200 polio workers and police officers assigned to protect them have been killed in Pakistan since the 1990s, according to officials.” — Pakistani officials
- “There is a raft of misinformation circulating about the vaccine in rural Pakistan, including that it is a CIA plot to stop Muslims from having children.” — Rumors circulating in rural Pakistan
What’s Next
The vaccination drive will continue throughout the week, with security forces augmenting protection for health teams in high-risk districts. Authorities have pledged to investigate the Bajaur killings and to intensify intelligence operations against militant networks that threaten public-health initiatives.
