At least 21 killed, 103 injured in suicide attack on Kohat police compound

At least 21 people, including more than 10 police officers, were killed and 103 injured in a suicide attack followed by an assault on a police compound in Pakistan’s Kohat district on Friday, officials said. Injured included 73 policemen and 30 civilians, they added.

Six militants were also killed during an ensuing gunbattle with police and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel, according to the provincial police chief.

Speaking to Nukta, District Health Officer Dr Nasir Hassan Afridi confirmed that at least 21 people, including more than 10 police officers, were killed. He said 103 injured people had been brought to hospitals across Kohat, with around three to five in critical condition. Some of the seriously injured have been shifted to Peshawar for further treatment, he added.

The attack began with an explosion at a mosque in the old Police Lines area, followed by intermittent gunfire as militants stormed the compound, officials said.

Rescue 1122 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi told Nukta that the deceased included police officers and civilians. The body of a suspected militant was also recovered at the scene, he said.

Medical Superintendent of District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Tahir Ali Shah also confirmed to Nukta that police officers were among those killed.

The explosion shook nearby houses and buildings and caused panic among residents, while rescue teams continued search and relief operations at the site.

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 later confirmed that seven armed militants had infiltrated the Police Lines compound following the blast at its mosque.

He said police and CTD personnel engaged the attackers in an exchange of fire, killing six militants, including a sniper and a suicide bomber. A clearance operation against the remaining attacker was in its final stages, he said.

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.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Gul Bahadur (TTG) claimed that its Al-Badar Istishhadi Battalion carried out a suicide attack targeting a police and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) detention facility. According to a statement issued by the group, the attack began with a vehicle-borne explosive device, followed by suicide attackers entering the facility.

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, while 21 had been reported so far this year, according to the South Asia Terrorism Portal.

Pakistan has blamed the increase in attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the southern province of Balochistan on militancy emanating from Afghanistan, where the Taliban government denies Afghan involvement.