Fifteen police officers were among those killed when an explosives-laden vehicle struck the old Police Lines compound in Kohat, followed by an armed assault on police buildings.
BY PC Bureau
September 18, 2026: A suicide car bombing followed by a militant assault on a mosque inside the old Police Lines compound in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during Friday prayers killed at least 21 people and wounded more than 80, according to later hospital and police tallies. Fifteen of those killed were police personnel.
The attack began when an explosives-laden vehicle was driven into the compound’s gate, bringing down part of the outer wall and severely damaging the mosque. Armed militants then attempted to enter police buildings, including facilities associated with the Counter-Terrorism Department and Special Branch.
Police officers returned fire and engaged the attackers in a gun battle. Police said six of the seven militants involved were killed, including a suicide bomber and a sniper. A clearance operation continued for several hours after the assault.
🚨🇵🇰 PAKISTAN BURNING 💥
Kohat, Pakistan: At least 16 people have been killed and 50+ injured in a suspected suicide blast during Friday prayers at a mosque near the Police Lines. 🕌💣
Pakistan is now facing the terror threat it has long been accused of enabling and exporting.…
— Sharma Talks (@network_piyush) September 18, 2026
Casualty figures fluctuated throughout the day as hospitals and authorities assessed the aftermath. Initial reports put the death toll at between 15 and 17, with the number of injured ranging from 50 to 73. District health officials later reported 21 deaths and more than 80 injuries, with several victims in critical condition. Some of the seriously injured were shifted to hospitals in Peshawar.
Most of those wounded were worshippers. Geo News cited a hospital figure of 103 injured, while Al Jazeera reported a higher death toll of 27, reflecting continuing differences in casualty assessments.
Ittehadul Mujahideen, a faction linked to commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur and associated with the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack.
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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing and directed authorities to accelerate rescue and relief operations. Pakistan’s president also expressed condolences to the families of those killed and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
The Kohat attack came a day after a roadside bomb in nearby Hangu killed six soldiers. Security forces also reported killing 10 suspected militants during raids elsewhere in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Militant violence targeting security personnel and civilians has increased in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in recent years. In January 2023, a suicide bombing at a mosque inside a police compound in Peshawar killed more than 100 people, most of them police personnel.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused militant networks operating from Afghanistan of facilitating or supporting attacks in Pakistan. The Taliban government in Kabul has rejected such allegations.
