KOHAT, PAKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – On September 18, an assault on the Old Police Lines complex in Kohat, located in northwestern Pakistan, resulted in the deaths of 23 individuals, including 17 police officers and six civilians. The attack was initiated during Friday prayers when an explosives-laden vehicle was used near the mosque inside the compound. Following the explosion, armed gunmen entered the premises and opened fire. Emergency services, including Rescue 1122, evacuated the injured to nearby hospitals. Meanwhile, security forces sealed off the area and began a thorough clearance operation.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police reported that eight attackers were killed during overnight searches of the compound. Gunfire and clashes persisted inside several buildings until security personnel secured the site on Saturday. The Police Lines complex serves as the district police headquarters and also hosts the Counter Terrorism Department and the Special Branch. Authorities indicated that after the initial blast, the attackers advanced into additional sections of the compound, exchanging gunfire with security forces during the operation.
Bilal Ahmad Faizi, spokesperson for Rescue 1122, stated that emergency responders collected 23 bodies and treated 91 wounded victims from the scene. The casualty toll was updated as teams continued to search the damaged areas and hospitals reported additional victims. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police confirmed that among the dead were 17 police personnel and six civilians. Property damage to both government and private buildings around the site was also reported amid the chaos caused by the blast, gunfire, and grenade attacks.
Police Launch Investigation into Terrorist Assault on Kohat Complex
Following the attack, the Counter Terrorism Department initiated a case at its Kohat police station. The initial report includes charges of terrorism, murder, attempted murder, and other related offenses. The investigation states that the attackers drove an explosives-packed vehicle toward the mosque area before entering the Police Lines armed with firearms and hand grenades. The assailants remain unidentified, and authorities have begun collecting evidence from the damaged compound.
Security forces confronted the assailants as army units and Counter Terrorism Department teams moved through the premises. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police announced later that the operation had concluded after security forces killed all eight attackers. The forces also secured the Special Branch section, where gunmen had entered during the attack. Officials carried out thorough searches of the main buildings and adjacent areas before declaring the site safe and reopening it for investigators and emergency personnel.
Friday Prayers Disrupted by Explosion and Gunfire
The assault targeted one of Kohat’s primary police facilities while officers and worshippers gathered for Friday prayers. An explosion caused significant damage to the mosque and created a large crater at the blast site. Gunfire continued after the vehicle explosion as the attackers moved deeper into the compound. Security teams then began room-to-room searches across the Police Lines before the site was declared secure on Saturday.
The Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the police case only names unidentified attackers and does not specify individual suspects publicly. The Counter Terrorism Department continues to analyze the bombing, gunfire, and grenade assaults as part of the ongoing investigation. Authorities are also working to identify the dead attackers and are documenting damages to property within the Old Police Lines complex.