IED blast in Bajaur: Three Levies officials killed, two others wounded while escorting polio teams

KHAR: Three Levies officials were killed while two other officials wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by the roadside blew up in Bajaur Agency while escorting polio teams in Salarzai area on Tuesday.

A political administration officer, Sahibzada was also hurt in the blast.

A political administration official confirmed that the blast took place, adding that Levies officials were escorting polio teams in Chargo Tehsil Salarzai, when they were hit a roadside IED planted there.

As a result, the pickup used by Levies officials was totally destroyed, while three officials were killed and three other people, including two Levies men were wounded.

The injured were shifted to the Agency Headquarters Hospital.

The hospital’s MS, Muhammad Nazeer, confirmed to the The Express Tribune that three Levies officials, identified as Shafiullah, Ubaidullah and Ehsanullah, had been killed.

Tehsildar Sahibzada was airlifted to Peshawar in a serious condition, while the two injured officials were also shifted to Peshawar, added Nazeer.

The official further revealed that a three-day polio campaign was due to be held in the agency; hence security was on high alert. He added that 636 mobile, fixed and transit teams comprising about 1,600 health workers, schoolteachers, peace committee volunteers and senior officials of the health department and World Health Organisation were taking part in the campaign to immunise 224,000 children in Bajaur.

On October 22, three levies were wounded in a similar IED blast in Bajaur Agency during a polio campaign.