Mosque Blast Near Police Compound in Pakistan’s Kohat Kills at Least 16
Blast
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — September 18, 2026 — A powerful explosion struck a mosque near the old Police Lines compound in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, on Friday, September 18, killing at least 16 people and injuring more than 50 others as worshippers gathered for Friday prayers, Pakistani police and rescue officials confirmed.
The blast occurred as a vehicle laden with explosives rammed the gate of the police compound, followed by gunfire and a suicide bombing near a police building, according to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed . Among the dead were five police personnel and 11 civilians, police officials stated .
Yemen’s Houthis Claim They Shot Down Saudi F-15 Fighter Jet Over Marib | 14 Newborns Killed in Fire at Pakistan’s PIMS Hospital in Islamabad.
Attack Details and Casualties
The explosion created a large crater outside the mosque, heavily damaged the structure’s exterior, and collapsed a boundary wall, according to footage broadcast on Pakistani television and accounts from rescue officials . The District Headquarters Hospital in Kohat received 15 bodies and more than 50 injured, with several victims in critical condition, Medical Superintendent Dr. Tahir Ali Shah confirmed .
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Faizi told Xinhua that 11 civilians and five police officers were among the deceased . Authorities declared an emergency at local hospitals to handle the influx of wounded.
Gunfire and Suicide Attack Followed Blast
Following the initial vehicle-borne explosion, gunmen attempted to storm the police compound. IG Hameed stated that one suicide bomber detonated explosives near a building housing the Special Branch offices, while other attackers moved toward a Counter-Terrorism Department building where they were engaged by security forces .
Police reported that six attackers, including one suicide bomber, were killed during the ensuing firefight, and clearance operations entered their final phase by late afternoon . The Kohat-Hangu road was closed to traffic, and additional security forces were deployed around the Police Lines area .
Claim of Responsibility
The militant group Ittehadul Mujahideen, led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to a report by Dawn newspaper . The group is separate from the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which the Pakistani state refers to as “Fitna al-Khawarij.” No independent verification of the claim was immediately available.
Government Response
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, expressed grief over the loss of lives, and directed authorities to provide the best possible medical treatment to the injured. He also sought a report on the nature and cause of the explosion . Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi requested a detailed report on the incident, stating that targeting innocent civilians was “deeply regrettable and unacceptable” .
Context of Rising Militancy
The Kohat attack is the latest in a surge of militant violence across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other regions of Pakistan. Just one day earlier, a roadside bomb attack on a security convoy in Hangu district killed six soldiers . Security forces have conducted multiple operations against suspected militants in recent days, and the province has experienced a significant uptick in attacks targeting police and military installations since the beginning of the year .
Modern World Order Explained: Power, Alliances & Global Systems.
The attack also echoes a 2010 bombing at the same Police Lines compound in Kohat, which killed 20 people and injured more than 90, most of them relatives of police officers .
SOURCES
Dawn
The Hindu
The Role of Opinion in Journalism: Ethics, Standards & Democracy.
Humanoid Robot Shatters 100m Record at Beijing Robot Games | TikTok Reaches $400 Million Settlement with US Justice Department Over Children’s Privacy Violations.
Nothing in this content constitutes professional advice of any kind, including legal, medical, financial, or technical advice.
Some content may be created or assisted using editorial tools and technologies; however, all material is subject to editorial review and oversight to ensure accuracy, clarity, and relevance in accordance with our publishing standards.
Images, graphics, and visual elements are used for illustrative purposes unless otherwise stated and may not always represent exact events, locations, or individuals.
For detailed information regarding our editorial standards and AI usage practices, please review our AI-Generated Content Disclosure Policy, Editorial Policy, Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, and Corrections & Updates Policy.
