39 arrested after killing of 2 anti-polio workers in Mohmand

GHALLANAI: Around 39 persons were arrested in the search operation after the killing of two anti-polio workers in Mohmand Agency.

Unidentified persons shot dead the polio monitoring officials Wajid and Salahud Din in Aman Ghundi in Safi tehsil when the team was conducting monitoring activities in the area.

Sher Muhammad, Aftab Ahmed, Wasif, Muhammad Sadiq and driver went missing after the attack on the team. The security forces launched a search operation after the incident.

A Frontier Corps soldier was killed and another soldier and a Khasadar personnel sustained injuries when the attackers opened fire on them during search operation.

However, the security forces recovered the missing persons during the operation at midnight.

The bodies of the slain workers were shifted to Ghallanai and were handed over to their families.

The security forces launched a search operation on Sunday and arrested 39 tribesmen under the collective responsibility section of the Frontier Crimes Regulation.

The polio vaccination campaign was conducted in Mohmand Agency from 12-15 March.

The target population for polio vaccination in the agency was 91276 children whereas 94551 children were vaccinated during the polio campaign which included the recently shifted children to the agency who were not in the set target.

The independent monitoring staff members were in the field for the post campaign monitoring. When they were returning, unknown attackers fired upon them in which two of staff members were killed.