KOHAT – A deadly blast tore through area around Old Police Lines in Kohat on Friday, killing at least 16 people and injuring 57 others, as security forces launched a major clearance and search operation following the attack.
The explosion struck mosque adjoining the Police Lines during Friday prayers, leaving a trail of casualties and widespread damage. Police officials said five police personnel and 11 civilians were among those killed. According to preliminary information, an explosives-laden vehicle rammed into the gate of the Old Police Lines before exploding. The blast was followed by an armed assault and an exchange of fire between militants and police and Counter-Terrorism Department personnel.
کوہاٹ پولیس لائنز مسجد پر دھماکہ و دہشتگردوں کا حملہ، انسپکٹر جنرل آف پولیس خیبرپختونخوا ذوالفقار حمید اور ایڈیشنل آئی جی سی ٹی ڈی کوہاٹ پہنچ گئے،آئی جی پی کی براہ راست نگرانی میں دہشتگردوں کے خلاف آپریشن آخری مراحل میں داخل، کلیئرنس کی جا رہی ہے،سی ٹی ڈی ماہرین کی آئی جی پی اور… pic.twitter.com/ORii2BLq6K
— Sheraz Ahmad Sherazi (@Sherazi_Silmian) September 18, 2026
The powerful explosion badly damaged the mosque and surrounding structures, while reports from the scene indicated that the blast also left a crater near the site.
Officials said Afghan militants attempted to enter Police Lines compound after the initial explosion. Police and CTD personnel responded immediately, triggering an intense gun battle inside the complex.
According to police accounts, seven armed militants infiltrated the Police Lines, while security personnel engaged them in a fierce firefight. Six attackers, including a suicide bomber and a sniper, were subsequently reported killed. An additional blast was also reported near the Special Branch building during the exchange of fire, according to the KP police chief.
IGP reaches Kohat as operation enters final phase
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed reached Kohat along with the Additional IG CTD and directly supervised the security response.
Police officials said the clearance operation against the attackers had entered its final stages, with CTD experts briefing senior officers on the evolving situation. Security forces and police have cordoned off the area and continued searching the compound.
Kohat-Hangu Road was also closed to traffic following the attack, according to officials.
Rescue 1122 teams rushed to the scene after receiving information about the blast. More than 40 rescue personnel and 14 ambulances were reported to be involved in the emergency response, while injured victims were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Kohat. (
A hospital emergency was declared as casualties continued to arrive. Officials said several of the wounded were in critical condition.
The death toll and number of injured have varied in early reports as authorities continue to assess the scene. International reporting has also confirmed at least 15–16 deaths and more than 50 injuries.
Security officials are continuing to collect evidence to determine the exact nature of the attack and its motive. Early Pakistani police reports described the attackers as militants and used the term “Fitna al-Khawarij” for the suspected assailants.
Initial information had also raised suspicion of involvement by Afghan-based militants, but the precise attribution and motive remain subject to the ongoing investigation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack and directed authorities to accelerate rescue operations and provide the injured with immediate medical treatment. The prime minister also sought a report on the nature and causes of the blast.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also sought a report from police authorities and directed hospitals to ensure immediate treatment and make arrangements for critically injured victims if transfers became necessary.
With the area still under security cordon and clearance operations continuing, authorities remain focused on securing the Police Lines, searching for any remaining attackers or explosives and determining the full circumstances surrounding one of Kohat’s deadliest recent attacks.
At least 16 dead, over 30 injured in Kohat Police Lines blast
