KOHAT, PAKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – According to death toll, the death count from the September 18 attack on Kohat’s Old Police Lines has increased to 23, comprising 17 police officers and six civilians, as confirmed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and Rescue 1122. The assault was initiated during Friday prayers when an explosives-laden vehicle detonated near a mosque located inside the police compound. Following this, armed assailants entered the premises and opened fire. Emergency rescue teams evacuated numerous injured individuals to hospitals while security personnel sealed off the area.
During a clearance operation that extended into Saturday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police reported that security forces eliminated eight attackers. Officers cleared vital structures after engaged gunfights within the compound. The Old Police Lines complex functions as the district police headquarters and houses the Counter Terrorism Department, Special Branch, and other police units. It was also stated by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police that the attackers reached certain sections of the complex after the initial explosion and continued firing from inside the premises.
Bilal Ahmad Faizi, spokesperson for Rescue 1122, stated that teams transported 23 bodies and 91 wounded individuals to hospitals following the attack and subsequent operation. The casualty figures fluctuated as responders searched through damaged areas of the compound and hospitals provided medical aid to victims. Later, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police identified 17 of those killed as police personnel and six as civilians. Damage to government and private property around the site was also reported by police.
Police initiate terrorism investigation after Kohat incident
Counter Terrorism Department filed a First Information Report (FIR) at its Kohat police station following the attack. The case encompasses charges of terrorism, murder, attempted murder, and related offenses. The complaint details that attackers employed a vehicle filled with explosives to target the mosque area, subsequently firing weapons and throwing hand grenades during their entry into the Police Lines. The department has registered the case against unidentified suspects and has begun collecting evidence from the site.
According to the report, police personnel confronted the attackers while army units and Counter Terrorism Department teams entered the complex. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police later announced the conclusion of the clearance operation, confirming that eight attackers had been killed. Security forces also cleared the Special Branch section, where gunmen had gained entry during the attack. The operation was declared over once the main buildings were secured and the remaining threats within the compound were eliminated.
Friday prayer assault triggers prolonged security sweep
The assault targeted a prominent police facility in Kohat during Friday prayers, a time when both officers and worshippers were gathered at the mosque. The explosion created a large crater near the point of impact and severely damaged the mosque premises. Following the blast, gunfire persisted as attackers moved further into the complex. Security personnel conducted thorough room-by-room searches before announcing the completion of the operation on Saturday.
Responsibility for the attack was claimed by Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen. However, the police FIR was registered against unidentified assailants and does not publicly identify individual suspects. The Counter Terrorism Department continues its investigation into the bombing, gunfire, and grenade assaults. Investigators also documented damage to both government and private property within the Police Lines area. Identification efforts on the attackers persisted after the clearance, with the case still covering terrorism, murder, and attempted murder charges.