At least 7 killed, 30 injured in Kohat blast

At least seven people were killed and 30 injured in an explosion at a mosque in a police lines compound in Pakistan’s Kohat district on Friday, officials said, as rescue operations continued and fears of further casualties remained.

Rescue 1122 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi told Nukta that the explosion occurred outside a mosque in the old police lines area. He confirmed seven deaths and said 30 injured people had been taken to nearby hospitals.

Faizi said rescue teams were continuing search and relief operations at the site. Intermittent gunfire was also heard following the blast, he said, while the force of the explosion shook nearby houses and buildings and caused panic among residents.

District Emergency Officer Noor-ul-Amin said 14 ambulances, rescue and recovery vehicles and more than 40 personnel were taking part in the operation.

Provincial police chief Zulfiqar Hameed took notice of the blast and sought a report from the Regional Police Officer in Kohat.

Hameed said preliminary information suggested that a vehicle reportedly loaded with explosives had rammed into a location near the old Police Lines, although authorities were still determining the exact nature of the explosion.

He said an exchange of fire with armed militants was continuing in the aftermath of the blast and directed officials to ensure that the injured received prompt medical treatment.

“KP Police stands as an iron wall against terrorism, and cowardly attacks cannot undermine its resolve,” Hameed said.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi condemned the incident, describing it as “extremely tragic and unacceptable”, and directed officials to use all available resources to ensure immediate treatment for the injured.

Afridi also described the incident as a “cowardly act of terrorism” and said such attacks could not undermine the nation’s resolve.

An emergency has been declared at district hospitals, while medical staff have had their leave cancelled to ensure adequate healthcare personnel are available to treat the injured.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has issued a statement distancing itself from the explosion. An unofficial claim, meanwhile, has attributed the attack to the Al-Badar Istishhadi Group, a suicide squad associated with Hafiz Gul Bahadur. There has been no official confirmation of the group's involvement or the motive behind the blast.

Other banned militant groups, including Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan (IMP) and the Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction, also operate in the region and have frequently targeted security forces and government officials.

Kohat, in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has faced a persistent militant threat, with police and other security personnel frequently targeted in attacks. The district recorded 15 terrorism-related incidents in 2025 and 21 in 2026 through Sept. 15, according to the South Asia Terrorism Portal.

This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly.