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 attack was launched during Friday prayers when an explosives-laden vehicle detonated close to a mosque within the police complex. Following the explosion, armed assailants entered the premises and opened fire. Emergency responders evacuated numerous injured individuals to hospitals as security personnel cordoned off the area.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police reported that security forces eliminated eight attackers during the operation that extended into Saturday morning. After intense gunfights inside the compound, officers secured critical buildings. The Old Police Lines serve as the district police headquarters and house units such as the Counter Terrorism Department, Special Branch, and other law enforcement agencies. Authorities stated that the assailants reached parts of the complex after the initial blast and kept firing from within the premises.
Bilal Ahmad Faizi, spokesperson for Rescue 1122, noted that teams transported 23 bodies and 91 injured individuals to hospitals following the attack and subsequent operation. The casualty figures fluctuated as responders examined damaged areas of the compound and hospitals treated victims. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police later identified 17 of the deceased as police personnel and six as civilians. Authorities also reported damage to both government and private property in the vicinity of the site.
Police Open Terrorism Investigation Following Kohat Assault
The Counter Terrorism Department filed an initial report at its Kohat police station in the aftermath of the attack. The case encompasses charges of terrorism, murder, attempted murder, among others. The report states that attackers used a vehicle filled with explosives to target the mosque area, then engaged in gunfire and grenade-throwing as they entered the Police Lines. The department has registered the case against unidentified assailants and has begun examining evidence collected from the scene.
The report indicates that police personnel engaged the attackers as army units and Counter Terrorism Department teams moved into the complex. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police announced that the clearance operation concluded with the death of eight assailants. Security teams also cleared the Special Branch section, where gunmen had entered during the assault. The operation was declared complete once the main buildings were secured and the site was searched for any remaining threats.
Extended Security Measures Follow Mosque Assault
The attack targeted one of Kohat’s key police facilities during Friday prayers, when officers and worshippers gathered at the mosque. The blast created a large crater near the impact site and caused damage to the mosque area. Gunfire persisted after the explosion as the attackers moved deeper into the complex. Security forces then conducted thorough room-by-room searches, declaring the operation finished on Saturday.
Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the assault. However, the police FIR was registered against unidentified attackers and does not publicly identify individual suspects. The Counter Terrorism Department continues its investigation into the bombing, gunfire, and grenade attacks. Investigators also documented damage to government and private property within the Police Lines area following the incident. Authorities stated that identification of the attackers is ongoing, and the case registered covers terrorism, murder, and attempted murder.