A remote-controlled bomb targeted a police van in South Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), injuring 13 people, including six police officers and seven civilians, according to a hospital official.
Police officials reported that the explosion occurred on Kir Kot Road in Wana’s Rustam Bazaar. Authorities promptly arrived at the scene following the blast, and rescue teams transferred the injured to the District Headquarters Hospital in Wana. One critically injured victim was later moved to Dera Ismail Khan for further treatment.
Medical Superintendent Dr. Hamad Mahmood confirmed to Geo News that both civilians and police personnel were among the injured. Police sources also noted that the attack coincided with the start of an anti-polio campaign in the area.
The targeted police van was part of a security convoy escorting polio workers along Kir Kot Road. Following the attack, the area was sealed off as authorities launched an investigation.
District Health Officer Dr. Inayat Rahman revealed that the polio vaccination campaign commenced across the district, aiming to vaccinate 70,000 children over the age of five. In total, 480 police officers were deployed to ensure the safety of 297 polio teams operating in the area.
Polio workers and security personnel in Pakistan, particularly in the conservative northwestern region, continue to face significant threats. Over the past decade, numerous polio workers have been attacked, heightening fears for their safety. Just last July, two police officers on polio duty were injured in separate attacks in the Tank and Dera Ismail Khan districts.
