MASTUNG, BALOCHISTAN — Two Levies officials were killed today when an unidentified armed man targeted a polio team in the Kali Tara area of Kanak while they were escorting a polio vaccination team in Mastung district.
According to Levies’ officials, Naik Mahmmad and Maqsood Ahmed were killed in the attack.
As far as no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, suspicion falls on the Islamic State Pakistan (ISPP) chapters known for similar attacks in the region.
Persistent threats faced by polio workers and their security escorts in Balochistan, where militants have previously targeted vaccination efforts. Resultantly, the polio eradication effort in the Mastung district was suspended.
However, Poliovirus remains endemic in only two countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The Spokesperson of the Government of Balochistan condemned the attack on polio workers in a recent statement.
This attack marks the first attack against polio workers in Balochistan this year.