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 authorities from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and Rescue 1122. The assault occurred during Friday prayers when an explosives-laden vehicle detonated near a mosque situated within the police complex. Subsequently, armed assailants entered the premises and opened fire. Emergency responders transported many wounded individuals to hospitals, while security forces cordoned off the area.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police reported that security personnel killed eight of the attackers during the operation that continued into Saturday morning. Officers managed to secure critical buildings after engaged gun battles inside the compound. The Old Police Lines serves as the district police headquarters and hosts units like the Counter Terrorism Department, Special Branch, and others. Officials stated that the assailants reached parts of the complex following the initial blast and kept firing from within the premises.
Bilal Ahmad Faizi, spokesperson for Rescue 1122, noted that teams transported 23 bodies along with 91 injured individuals to hospitals after the attack and subsequent operation. The casualty figures fluctuated as rescue teams examined damaged areas of the complex and hospitals attended to the victims. The police later identified 17 of the dead as police personnel and six as civilians. Additionally, authorities reported destruction of both government and private property in the vicinity.
Police open terrorism case following Kohat assault
The Counter Terrorism Department lodged an FIR at its Kohat police station after the attack. The case encompasses charges of terrorism, murder, attempted murder, among others. The complaint details that attackers used a vehicle packed with explosives to strike near the mosque, then proceeded to fire weapons and hurl hand grenades as they entered the Police Lines. The department registered the case against unidentified assailants and initiated an investigation into evidence collected from the scene.
According to the report, police officers 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 and that eight of the attackers had been killed. Security forces also cleared the section housing the Special Branch, where gunmen had entered during the attack. The operation wrapped up after securing the main structures and searching the premises for any remaining threats.
Friday prayer attack triggers prolonged security response
The assault targeted one of Kohat’s primary police installations amid Friday prayers, with officers and worshippers present in the mosque at the time. The explosion created a significant crater near the impact site and caused damage to the mosque area. Gunfire persisted after the blast as the attackers advanced further into the complex. Security personnel then conducted room-to-room searches before declaring the operation complete on Saturday.
The Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the police FIR was filed against unidentified perpetrators and does not specify individual suspects. The Counter Terrorism Department continues its investigation into the bombing, gunfire, and grenade incidents. Investigators also documented damage to government and private property within the Police Lines during the aftermath. Authorities are still working on identifying the attackers, while the case includes charges of terrorism, murder, and attempted murder.