KOHAT, PAKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – According to officials in Pakistan, the attack on the Old Police Lines complex in Kohat on September 18 resulted in 23 fatalities, comprising 17 police officers and six civilians, in northwestern Pakistan. The assault was initiated during Friday prayers when an explosives-laden vehicle targeted the mosque inside the compound. Following the explosion, armed assailants entered the premises and opened fire. Emergency responders from Rescue 1122 evacuated the wounded to nearby hospitals, while security personnel sealed off the area and launched a clearing operation.
Security forces from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported that eight attackers were killed during the overnight search of the site. The fighting persisted within several buildings until police secured the compound on Saturday. The Old Police Lines serves as the district police headquarters and also houses the Counter Terrorism Department and the Special Branch. Authorities stated that after the initial blast, some assailants reached different sections of the complex and exchanged gunfire with security forces during the ongoing operation.
Bilal Ahmad Faizi, spokesperson for Rescue 1122, confirmed that emergency teams transported 23 bodies and 91 injured individuals from the scene. As investigations progressed and more victims were taken to hospitals, the casualty toll was updated. Later, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police verified that among the dead, there were 17 police personnel and six civilians. Damage to both government and private property around the site was also reported due to the blast, gunfire, and grenade attacks.
Investigations Launched Following Police Complex Assault
The Counter Terrorism Department initiated a case at its Kohat police station in response to the attack. The initial report includes charges of terrorism, murder, attempted murder, and related offenses. According to the complaint, the assailants drove an explosives-packed vehicle toward the mosque area before storming the Police Lines armed with firearms and hand grenades. The identity of the attackers remains unknown, and investigators are gathering evidence from the damage inflicted within the compound.
Security forces, including police personnel, army units, and Counter Terrorism Department teams, engaged the assailants as they moved through the compound. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police later announced that the security operation was concluded after all eight attackers were killed. The clearance team also secured the section housing the Special Branch, which had been penetrated during the attack. Thorough searches of the main buildings and nearby sections were completed before authorities reopened the site for investigators and emergency responders.
Friday Prayer Service Disrupted by Explosion and Gunfire
The assault struck one of Kohat’s key police installations at a time when officers and worshippers gathered for Friday prayers. The explosion tore through the mosque area, creating a sizable crater near the blast zone. Gunfire persisted after the vehicle explosion, as the attackers moved further into the compound. Security teams then conducted detailed room-by-room searches across the Police Lines before declaring the area secure on Saturday.
Responsibility for the attack was claimed by Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen. However, the police case attributes the attack to unidentified assailants and does not specify individual suspects publicly. The Counter Terrorism Department continues to investigate the bombing, gunfire, and grenade attacks as part of the official case. Meanwhile, police ongoing efforts to identify the dead attackers are underway, and documentation of casualties and property destruction across the Old Police Lines has been completed.