KOHAT, PAKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – Amidst ongoing security threats in Pakistan, 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 occurred during Friday prayers when an explosives-packed vehicle detonated near a mosque within the police compound. Following the blast, armed assailants entered the premises and opened fire. Rescue teams rushed to evacuate numerous injured individuals to hospitals as security personnel cordoned off the area.
According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, security forces managed to eliminate eight attackers during the overnight clearance operation that extended into Saturday. They secured critical buildings after intense gun battles inside the complex. The Old Police Lines, which functions as a district police headquarters and houses units such as the Counter Terrorism Department, Special Branch, and other law enforcement agencies, was targeted. Authorities later confirmed that the attackers reached sections of the complex following the initial explosion and continued firing from within the premises.
Bilal Ahmad Faizi, spokesperson for Rescue 1122, stated that teams transported 23 bodies and 91 injured individuals to hospitals after the attack and subsequent operation. The casualty figures fluctuated as rescue workers searched the damaged areas and hospitals provided treatment. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police later identified 17 of the deceased as police officers and six as civilians. The police also reported damage to both government and private properties in the vicinity of the site.
Police initiate terrorism case 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 related offenses. The complaint states that the attackers used a vehicle loaded with explosives to strike near the mosque, then proceeded to fire weapons and toss hand grenades as they entered the Police Lines. The case was registered against unidentified assailants, and authorities began examining evidence collected from the site.
According to the report, police personnel confronted the attackers as army units and Counter Terrorism Department teams moved into the complex. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police later announced that the clearance operation had concluded, with eight attackers confirmed dead. Security teams also cleared the section occupied by the Special Branch, which had been breached during the assault. The operation wrapped up after authorities secured key structures and continued to search the premises for any remaining threats.
Extended security measures follow the mosque bombing
The attack struck one of Kohat’s principal police facilities during Friday prayers, when officers and worshippers were gathered at the mosque. The blast caused significant damage to the mosque area, leaving a large crater near the blast site. Gunfire persisted after the explosion as the attackers advanced further into the complex. Security personnel then launched room-to-room searches, which concluded on Saturday with the operation declared complete.
Claiming responsibility for the attack, Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen issued a statement, though the police FIR was registered against unidentified assailants and does not publicly identify individual suspects. The Counter Terrorism Department continues investigating the bombing, gunfire, and grenade attacks. Authorities also documented damage to government and private property within the Police Lines area after the incident. Police reported ongoing efforts to identify the attackers even after the clearance operation, with the case registering charges related to terrorism, murder, and attempted murder.
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