A nationwide polio vaccination campaign began Monday in Afghanistan, with the Taliban setting the goal of vaccinating some 13 million children under the age of five.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Public Health announced that the campaign, in coordination with international partners, would run from November 2 through November 5. The campaign will extend to the Southern Zone from November 3 through 6, and in the Logar Province from November 9 through 13.

The vaccination campaign comes as the World Health Organization reported six new poliovirus cases last month, bringing the total to 42.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Public Health said that it is committed to preventing the spread of poliovirus throughout Afghanistan, calling on religious and tribal leaders and parents to support the campaign.

The Taliban, however, did not say whether they would allow house-to-house vaccination in Afghanistan, particularly in the country's southern region where cases have increased sharply.

The Islamist group suspended house-to-house vaccination campaigns in September 2024, and the only vaccination was through site-to-site efforts, including vaccination at mosques and other designated locations.