KOHAT, PAKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – The death toll from the September 18 assault on Kohat’s Old Police Lines has now reached 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-laden vehicle detonated near a mosque inside the police complex, prompting armed assailants to breach the premises and open fire. Emergency teams rushed numerous wounded individuals to hospitals while security personnel sealed off the area.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police reported that during the overnight clearance operation into Saturday, security forces killed eight attackers, as they cleared critical buildings following gun battles inside the compound. The Old Police Lines serves as the district police headquarters and accommodates units such as the Counter Terrorism Department, the Special Branch, and other law enforcement agencies. Authorities confirmed that attackers reached sections of the complex after the initial blast and continued firing from within the premises.
Bilal Ahmad Faizi, spokesperson for Rescue 1122, stated that teams transported 23 bodies and 91 injured individuals to hospitals following the incident and subsequent operation. The casualty figures fluctuated as responders searched damaged parts of the complex and hospitals attended to victims. Later, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police identified 17 of the deceased as police personnel and six as civilians. The authorities also reported damage to both government and private property around the site.
Police open terrorism case after Kohat assault
Following the attack, the Counter Terrorism Department filed an initial police report at its Kohat station. The case includes charges of terrorism, murder, attempted murder, and related crimes. According to the complaint, assailants used a vehicle loaded with explosives to target the mosque area, then opened fire and hurled hand grenades while entering the Police Lines. The department has registered the case against unidentified attackers and is now examining evidence collected from the compound.
The report mentions police personnel confronting the assailants as army units and Counter Terrorism Department teams moved into the complex. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police later announced that the clearance operation had concluded, with eight attackers confirmed dead. Security forces also cleared the Special Branch section, which had been breached during the attack. The operation ended after securing the main buildings and searching the area for any remaining threats.
Extended security measures after mosque bombing
The assault targeted one of Kohat’s principal police facilities during Friday prayers, when officers and worshippers were gathered at the mosque. The explosion created a large crater near the impact site and damaged the mosque structure, with gunfire continuing as attackers moved further into the complex. Security forces conducted thorough room-to-room searches, declaring the operation finished on Saturday.
The Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the assault. However, the police FIR was filed against unidentified individuals, and no specific suspects are publicly named. Investigations into the bombing, gunfire, and grenade attacks are ongoing by the Counter Terrorism Department. Damage to government and private property within the Police Lines area was documented, and identification of the attackers continued after the clearance, with the case encompassing charges of terrorism, murder, and attempted murder.