KOHAT, PAKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – According to officials in Pakistan, the September 18 attack on the Old Police Lines in Kohat resulted in 23 deaths, including 17 police officers and six civilians, with 91 individuals injured. The assault commenced during Friday prayers when an explosives-laden vehicle was driven close to the mosque within the compound. Gunmen then infiltrated the premises and began firing. Emergency services from Rescue 1122 transported the wounded to nearby hospitals, while security forces cordoned off the area and initiated a clearance operation.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police reported that eight attackers were killed as security personnel continued the search through the night. The fighting persisted within several buildings until the authorities secured the facility on Saturday. The Old Police Lines serves as the district police headquarters and also accommodates the Counter Terrorism Department and the Special Branch. Police officials indicated that after the initial explosion, the assailants reached additional sections of the compound and exchanged gunfire with security forces during the ongoing operation.
Bilal Ahmad Faizi, a spokesperson for Rescue 1122, confirmed that emergency teams retrieved 23 bodies and treated 91 injured individuals from the scene. The casualty toll was revised as teams continued inspecting damaged areas and hospitals admitted more victims. Later, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police verified that among the dead were 17 police personnel and six civilians. Reports also indicated that the blast, gunfire, and grenade attacks caused damage to both government and private property in the vicinity of the compound.
Police launch terrorism investigation following Kohat police complex assault
The Counter Terrorism Department filed a case at its Kohat police station after the attack. The initial report includes charges of terrorism, murder, attempted murder, and related offenses. The document states that the attackers drove an explosives-packed vehicle toward the mosque area before entering the Police Lines armed with firearms and hand grenades. The assailants remain unidentified, and investigators have begun gathering evidence from the damaged sections of the compound.
Security personnel engaged the assailants as army units and Counter Terrorism Department teams moved through the site. Later, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police announced that the clearance operation had concluded after security forces eliminated all eight attackers. The teams also secured the section occupied by the Special Branch, where gunmen had entered during the assault. Following the completion of searches in the main buildings and surrounding areas, authorities reopened the site for investigators and emergency responders.
Friday prayers disrupted by explosion and gunfire at Police Lines
The assault targeted one of Kohat’s primary police facilities at a time when officers and worshippers were gathered for Friday prayers. The explosion created a large crater near the mosque and caused significant damage to the prayer area. Gunfire persisted after the vehicle explosion as the gunmen moved deeper into the complex. Security teams then conducted extensive searches room-by-room across the Police Lines, before authorities declared the site secure on Saturday.
The Counter Terrorism Department claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the police case names the attackers as unidentified and does not specify individual suspects in the publicly available record. The department continues to analyze the bombing, gunfire, and grenade assaults as part of the ongoing investigation. Post-operation, police worked to identify the deceased attackers, document casualties, and assess property damage throughout the Old Police Lines complex.