Nangarhar polio vaccination campaign on hold after assassinations

The polio vaccination campaign has been put on hold indefinitely in Nangarhar province following the shooting of three female vaccinators on Tuesday.

The women were gunned down in two separate incidents on Tuesday morning in Jalalabad city.

Nangarhar health officials said on Wednesday they were shocked at the assassinations.

According to them, no groups had threatened health workers in the province nor had there been any other type of warning.

Devastated families of the slain vaccinators said the women had worked for the campaign for 2,000 Afghanis a month.

Local officials say investigations have begun and the perpetrators will be tracked down and punished.

Following the incident, a delegation from the Ministry of Public Health traveled to Nangarhar and met with the local health officials.

The incident sparked an outcry in the country on Tuesday and organizations and foreign countries strongly condemned the killings.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) also raised its voice against the attacks and condemned the killings.

Acting Minister of Defense Mohammad Yasin Zia & Deputy Director General of National Security are in Kunduz province & will meet with provincial officials. They said the enemies tactics will be determined & thwarted by the defense, security & intelligence agencies.