KOHAT, PAKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – The death toll from the September 18 assault on Kohat’s Old Police Lines has increased to 23, comprising 17 police officers and six civilians, according to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and Rescue 1122. The assault was initiated during Friday prayers when an explosives-packed vehicle detonated near a mosque within the police complex. Following the blast, armed assailants entered the premises and began firing. Emergency teams rushed numerous injured individuals to hospitals as security personnel sealed off the site.
During an overnight operation into Saturday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police reported that security forces shot dead eight attackers. Authorities secured vital buildings after intense gun battles inside the compound. The Old Police Lines complex functions as a district police headquarters, hosting units like the Counter Terrorism Department, Special Branch, and other police divisions. Officials stated that the assailants reached sections of the complex after the initial explosion and kept firing from within the premises.
Bilal Ahmad Faizi, a spokesperson for Rescue 1122, mentioned that rescue teams transported 23 bodies and 91 injured individuals to hospitals following the attack and subsequent clearance operation. The casualty figures fluctuated as responders examined damaged areas of the compound, and hospitals treated the victims. Later, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police identified 17 of the deceased as police personnel and six as civilians. Reports also indicated destruction to both government and private property around the scene.
Police open terrorism investigation after Kohat assault
The Counter Terrorism Department filed an FIR at its Kohat police station in response to the attack. The case encompasses charges of terrorism, murder, attempted murder, and related offenses. The document states that assailants used a vehicle filled with explosives to target the mosque area, then proceeded to fire weapons and throw hand grenades while entering the Police Lines. The case was registered against unidentified suspects, and investigators began collecting evidence from the site.
According to the report, police officers engaged with the attackers as army units and Counter Terrorism Department teams moved into the compound. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police later confirmed the operation had concluded with eight attackers killed. Security teams also cleared the Special Branch section, which had been compromised during the assault. The operation wrapped up once authorities secured the main buildings and conducted searches for any remaining threats within the compound.
Friday mosque attack leads to prolonged security sweep
The assault targeted one of Kohat’s key police installations amid Friday prayers, a time when officers and worshippers were gathered at the mosque. The explosion created a large crater and damaged the mosque structure. Gunfire persisted after the blast as the attackers advanced further into the complex. Security personnel subsequently carried out room-to-room searches, declaring the operation complete on Saturday.
The Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the police FIR was registered against unidentified suspects, and no specific individuals are publicly named. The Counter Terrorism Department continues its investigation into the bombing, gunfire, and grenade attacks. Authorities also documented damage to government and private properties within the Police Lines area after the assault. Identification efforts of the attackers are ongoing, and the registered case includes terrorism, murder, and attempted murder charges.