PESHAWAR: Owing to security concerns, a four-day measles vaccination drive for internally displaced persons (IDPs) which was scheduled to kick off in Dera Ismail Khan today failed to commence.

Around 40,465 displaced children, aged between six months and 10 years, from South and North Waziristan agencies were expected to be vaccinated against measles throughout the district from Jan 29 to Feb 1.

Official sources told Dawn the campaign could not kick off due to security concerns and would take place later.

Militants killed

Nine suspected militants were killed during an intelligence operation conduced in D I Khan's Kulachi tehsil. Security forces conducted the operation after receiving intelligence reports regarding the presence of militants in the area.

A curfew has been in place in Kulachi for the past three days from 7pm to 6am whereas all schools in the area have reportedly been closed indefinitely.

Read: Security forces kill six militants in Dera Ismail Khan

Security has been tightened in D I Khan whereas pickets have been set up at all entry and exit points of the district.

The leaves of all policemen stationed in the district have also been cancelled.

Bullet-riddled bodies recovered

Police on Thursday recovered three bullet-riddled bodies from D I Khan's Sherokina area.

The bodies were shifted to the Maulana Mufti Mahmood Hospital for post-mortem.

Dera Ismail Khan lies near Pakistan’s semi-autonomous tribal belt, where Taliban and al Qaeda-linked militants had once carved out strongholds.

It also borders the insurgency-hit southwestern province of Balochistan and populous Punjab province. ۔