KHAR: A health worker was killed and another injured in an attack on a polio team in Bajaur tribal region along the border with Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Officials of the political administration said the attack took place in Kamangara, 34km off here. Local people said that health workers escorted by the Levies personnel were going to administer vaccination drops in an area when they came under Kalashnikovs fire.

The deceased was identified as Roohullah and the injured as Arifullah. Levies personnel returned fire but the attackers escaped.

Members of local peace committees took the injured to a hospital in Nawagai from where he was referred to the agency headquarters hospital in Khar because of his precious condition.

Levies personnel mounted a search for the attackers and arrested several suspects.

The agency surgeon Dr Zakir Hussain told Dawn that the polio campaign being conducted by three teams in the area had been postponed after the incident.

He said 270 children could not be vaccinated in the area because of the incident.

In reply to a question, he said both victims were volunteers.

No one claimed responsibility for the attack.

The polio vaccination drive was launched in Bajaur on Monday and concluded on Wednesday.

Published in Dawn March 19th , 2015

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