KOHAT, PAKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – The death toll from the September 18 attack 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 unfolded during Friday prayers when an explosives-laden vehicle detonated near a mosque inside the police compound. Following the blast, armed assailants entered the area and opened fire. Rescue units rushed numerous injured individuals to hospitals while security personnel sealed off the site.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police reported that security forces eliminated eight attackers in the subsequent clearance operation, which extended into Saturday morning. They cleared key structures following gunfights within the compound. The Old Police Lines complex functions as the district police headquarters and houses units such as the Counter Terrorism Department, Special Branch, and others. According to police, attackers managed to reach parts 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 injured persons to hospitals following the attack and subsequent operations. The casualty figures fluctuated as responders examined damaged areas of the compound and hospitals attended to victims. Later, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police identified 17 of the deceased as police personnel and six as civilians. They also reported damage to government and private property in the vicinity of the site.
Police initiate terrorism case following Kohat attack
The Counter Terrorism Department filed a first information report at its Kohat police station after the incident. The case includes charges of terrorism, murder, attempted murder, and related offenses. The complaint states that attackers used a vehicle loaded with explosives to target the mosque area, then opened fire and threw hand grenades while entering the Police Lines. The case was registered against unidentified assailants, and investigators have begun examining evidence from the site.
The report indicates police personnel engaged the attackers as army units and Counter Terrorism Department teams moved into the complex. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police later confirmed the conclusion of the clearance operation, with eight attackers dead. Security teams also secured the Special Branch section, where gunmen had entered during the attack. The operation wrapped up after authorities secured the main structures and searched the compound for any remaining threats.
Extended security effort follows mosque assault
The assault targeted one of Kohat’s key police facilities during Friday prayers, when officers and worshippers gathered at the mosque. The explosion created a large crater near the impact point and caused damage to the mosque structure. Gunfire persisted after the blast as attackers advanced deeper into the complex. Security forces then conducted thorough room-to-room searches before declaring the operation complete on Saturday.
Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack. However, police FIR was filed against unknown suspects and does not publicly name any individuals. The Counter Terrorism Department continues its investigation into the bombing, gunfire, and grenade attacks. Authorities also documented property damage within the Police Lines area. Identification of the attackers was ongoing after the clearance, with the case registered covering terrorism, murder, and attempted murder.