KOHAT, PAKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – On September 18, in Kohat, northwestern Pakistan, authorities report that 23 individuals lost their lives during an attack on the Old Police Lines complex, including 17 police officers and six civilians. The assault commenced during Friday prayers when an explosives-laden vehicle was detonated near the mosque located within the compound. Following the blast, gunmen infiltrated the area and started firing. Rescue teams from Rescue 1122 transported the injured to hospitals, while security forces cordoned off the site and initiated a clearance operation.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police stated that eight attackers were killed as security personnel conducted searches through the night. The fighting persisted inside several buildings until the security forces secured the premises on Saturday. The Old Police Lines complex serves as the district police headquarters and also accommodates the Counter Terrorism Department and the Special Branch. According to police, after the initial explosion, the attackers reached additional sections of the compound and exchanged gunfire with security personnel during the operation.
Bilal Ahmad Faizi, spokesperson for Rescue 1122, mentioned that emergency teams recovered 23 bodies and treated 91 injured individuals from the scene. The casualty figures were updated as rescue teams examined damaged areas and hospitals received additional victims. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police later verified that among the dead were 17 police personnel and six civilians. Officials also reported damage to both government and private property around the complex resulting from the blast, gunfire, and grenade attacks.
Investigation launched following police complex assault
The Counter Terrorism Department filed a case at its Kohat police station regarding the incident. The initial report includes charges of terrorism, murder, attempted murder, and other related offenses. According to the complaint, the attackers drove an explosives-packed vehicle toward the mosque area before storming the Police Lines armed with firearms and hand grenades. The assailants remain unidentified, and investigators have begun collecting evidence from the damaged sections of the complex.
Police officers engaged the attackers as army units and Counter Terrorism Department teams moved through the area. Later, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police announced the operation had concluded after security forces eliminated all eight assailants. The security teams also cleared the Special Branch section, where gunmen had entered during the assault. Authorities completed searches of the main buildings and surrounding areas before concluding the operation and reopening the site for investigators and emergency responders.
Friday prayers disrupted by explosion and gunfire
The attack targeted one of Kohat’s primary police facilities during Friday prayers, with officers and worshippers present. The explosion caused significant damage to the mosque area, creating a large crater near the blast site. Following the vehicle detonation, gunfire continued as attackers advanced further into the compound. Security personnel then conducted thorough room-to-room searches throughout the Police Lines before declaring the area secure on Saturday.
The group Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the assault. However, the police case lists unidentified attackers and does not specify individual suspects in the public record. The Counter Terrorism Department is still examining the bombing, gunfire, and grenade attacks as part of the ongoing investigation. Authorities also continued to identify the dead attackers after the operation and documented casualties as well as property damage across the Old Police Lines complex.