KOHAT, PAKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and Rescue 1122, the death toll from the September 18 assault on Kohat’s Old Police Lines has risen to 23. Among the victims are 17 police officers and six civilians. The assault was launched during Friday prayers when an explosives-laden vehicle detonated near a mosque within the police complex. Following the blast, armed assailants infiltrated the premises and opened fire. Emergency teams evacuated numerous injured individuals to hospitals as security personnel sealed off the area.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police reported that security forces killed eight attackers during the operation that extended into the early hours of Saturday. Officers managed to clear essential buildings amid gunfire exchanges within the compound. The Old Police Lines serves as the district police headquarters and houses units including the Counter Terrorism Department, Special Branch, and others. Authorities stated that the attackers reached parts of the complex after the initial explosion and continued firing from within the premises.
Bilal Ahmad Faizi, spokesperson for Rescue 1122, indicated that teams transported 23 bodies and 91 injured individuals to hospitals following the incident and subsequent operation. The casualty numbers fluctuated as responders searched the damaged sections of the compound and hospitals managed the influx of victims. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police later confirmed that 17 of the deceased were police personnel, while six were civilians. The police also reported damage to both government and private property around the site.
Police initiate terrorism investigation following Kohat assault
The Counter Terrorism Department filed a first information report at its Kohat police station after the attack. The case includes charges of terrorism, murder, attempted murder, and other offenses. According to the complaint, attackers used a vehicle loaded with explosives to target the mosque area, then engaged in firing and threw hand grenades while entering the Police Lines. The case was registered against unidentified assailants, and investigators began analyzing evidence collected from the site.
The report states that police personnel engaged with the attackers as army units and Counter Terrorism Department teams entered the complex. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police later announced that the clearance operation had concluded and that eight assailants had been killed. Security units also secured the Special Branch section, which had been compromised during the assault. The operation wrapped up after securing key structures and inspecting the compound for any remaining threats.
Friday mosque attack triggers extensive security sweep
The assault targeted one of Kohat’s primary police facilities amid Friday prayers, a time when officers and worshippers gathered at the mosque. The explosion caused significant damage to the mosque area, creating a large crater at the point of impact. Gunfire persisted after the blast as the attackers moved deeper into the complex. Security forces then launched room-by-room searches and declared the operation finished on Saturday.
The Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the police FIR was registered against unidentified suspects and does not publicly name any individuals. The Counter Terrorism Department continues to investigate the bombing, gunfire, and grenade attacks. Investigators also documented damage to government and private property within the Police Lines premises after the assault. Police confirmed that identification efforts on the attackers were ongoing after the conclusion of the clearance, with the case covering terrorism, murder, and attempted murder charges.