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 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and Rescue 1122. The assault occurred during Friday prayers when an explosives-filled vehicle detonated near a mosque inside the police compound. Armed assailants then entered and opened fire. Rescue teams transported numerous injured victims to hospitals while security personnel sealed off the area.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police reported that security forces killed eight attackers during the operation that stretched into Saturday morning. They cleared critical buildings following gunfire exchanges inside the premises. The Old Police Lines complex functions as the district police headquarters and houses units like the Counter Terrorism Department, the Special Branch, and others. Authorities stated that the attackers reached sections of the compound after the initial explosion and continued firing from within the site.
Bilal Ahmad Faizi, spokesperson for Rescue 1122, confirmed that 23 bodies and 91 injured individuals were taken to hospitals following the incident and subsequent operation. The casualty figures fluctuated as responders searched damaged areas and hospitals treated victims. Later, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police identified 17 of the deceased as police personnel and six as civilians. The police also reported destruction of both government and private property in the vicinity.
Police open terrorism case following Kohat attack
The Counter Terrorism Department filed an initial report at its Kohat police station after the attack, charging suspects with terrorism, murder, attempted murder, and related offenses. The complaint states that attackers used a vehicle packed with explosives to hit the mosque area, followed by gunfire and hand grenade attacks as they entered the Police Lines. The department is investigating the case against unidentified assailants and collecting evidence from the site.
The report notes police engaged with the attackers as army units and Counter Terrorism Department teams entered the complex. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police later announced the operation’s conclusion with eight attackers killed. Security forces also cleared the Special Branch area where gunmen had entered. The operation ended after securing key buildings and searching the premises for remaining threats.
Extended security operations follow mosque bombing
The attack targeted a major police facility during Friday prayers, when officers and worshippers were gathered at the mosque. The blast created a large crater and damaged the mosque structure. Gunfire persisted as assailants moved deeper into the complex. Security teams then conducted thorough room-to-room searches, declaring the operation finished on Saturday.
The Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the assault, though the police FIR was filed against unknown perpetrators and does not publicly identify individuals. The Counter Terrorism Department continues its investigation into the bombing, gunfire, and grenade attacks, as well as damages to property caused during the incident. Authorities are still working on identifying the attackers after the clearance, with the case covering terrorism, murder, and attempted murder.