31 Killed, Mosque Reduced to Rubble: Inside Pakistan’s Deadly Kohat Attack

Kohat, Pakistan: At least 31 people were killed and more than 100 injured after a coordinated suicide bombing and gun attack struck a police compound in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during Friday prayers. The attack left a mosque inside the compound severely damaged, with photographs from the scene showing sections of the building reduced to rubble.

The assault took place on September 18 at the Old Police Lines complex, which serves as a district-level police headquarters and houses units including the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Special Branch.

How the Kohat attack unfolded

According to Pakistani police officials, an attacker drove an explosives-laden vehicle into the police facility while officers and their families were gathered for Friday prayers at the mosque.

Following the explosion, armed attackers attempted to enter the compound. A gun battle then broke out between the militants and security personnel.

The attack caused extensive structural damage. Images from the scene showed collapsed walls, piles of bricks and debris, damaged sections of the mosque and ambulances positioned near the police complex.

31 dead, including 16 police personnel

The death toll rose to 31, including 16 police personnel, according to a senior police official cited by AFP and Reuters. More than 100 people were also reported injured.

Many of those killed or wounded were worshippers who had gathered for Friday prayers, according to rescue officials.

Earlier reports had placed the toll lower, but the number increased as rescue and security operations continued.

Security operation after the bombing

The attack did not end with the explosion. Several armed attackers entered the police compound, leading to an extended security operation.

Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police said an overnight clearance operation was completed on September 19 and that eight attackers were killed during retaliatory action by police and security forces. Elite Force commandos, CTD personnel and other security units took part in clearing the buildings.

The police compound was considered particularly sensitive because it houses counter-terrorism and other security units.

Who claimed responsibility?

A militant group called Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan, described in reports as a faction linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attack.

The claim could not be independently verified. Pakistani authorities have continued to face militant attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, particularly targeting security personnel and government installations.

The TTP is a separate organisation from Afghanistan's Taliban government, although the two have historical and ideological links. Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of allowing TTP militants to operate from its territory, allegations Kabul has rejected.

Why Kohat is a key location

Kohat is a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province that has experienced recurring militant violence. The city lies on routes connecting parts of the province with areas including Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan.

The police complex targeted in the latest attack was home to units involved in counter-terrorism operations, making it a significant security installation.

The attack comes amid continued tensions between Pakistan and militants operating in the country's northwest, with violence also affecting areas close to the Afghan border.

Mosque badly damaged

The mosque inside the police compound suffered severe damage in the blast. Photographs and videos from the site showed soldiers and rescue personnel moving through large piles of rubble while sections of the structure appeared to have been destroyed.

Residents reported hearing the explosion from a distance, while emergency workers and security personnel rushed to the compound to evacuate the injured and secure the area.

The scale of the destruction has made the Kohat attack one of the deadliest recent assaults in Pakistan's northwest.

Investigation and security concerns

Authorities are continuing to investigate the attack, including the identities and affiliations of the attackers and how they managed to target the heavily secured police compound.

The incident has also renewed attention on militant violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where police and security forces have increasingly been targeted.

As rescue operations ended and the clearance operation concluded, authorities began assessing the damage to the police complex and surrounding structures.