Six attackers killed after explosions trigger gunfight with police, officials say
KOHAT: At least 21 people were killed and 103 others injured after a series of blasts struck a mosque inside the Police Lines in Kohat during Friday prayers, officials said.
The death toll includes 15 police personnel and six civilians, according to Kohat Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Tahir Shah. Dr Israel Khan Orakzai, chief district specialist at Liaquat Memorial Hospital, was also among those killed.
Police personnel accounted for 73 of the injured, while 30 civilians were wounded, Dr Shah said. Of the total injured, 90 were taken to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital and 13 to Liaquat Memorial Hospital.
Thirty-four injured people were still receiving treatment at the hospitals, while four critically wounded patients were shifted to medical facilities in Peshawar, the medical superintendent added.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hamid said an explosives-filled vehicle crashed through the gate of the old Police Lines before detonating.
Speaking to Geo News, Hamid said the explosion was followed by an exchange of fire. He added that a second suicide blast took place at the Special Branch building during the confrontation between police and the attackers.
The Central Police Office said seven armed terrorists entered the Police Lines after the initial suicide attack. Police and Counter-Terrorism Department personnel launched an operation against them and killed six attackers, including a suicide bomber and a sniper.
The police chief said the force would continue to confront terrorism and would not allow such attacks to weaken its morale. He also vowed that those responsible for the deaths, along with their facilitators, would face consequences.
The explosions caused extensive damage to the mosque’s outer portion and brought down part of a wall, according to rescue officials. Rescue teams continued searching and carrying out relief work at the site.
Following the attack, authorities halted traffic on the Kohat-Hangu Road. The DHQ Hospital administration also declared an emergency to deal with the large number of casualties arriving for treatment.
The attack comes amid a rise in militant violence in Pakistan since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Islamabad has repeatedly called on the Afghan authorities to prevent their territory from being used for attacks against Pakistan.