Pakistan mosque blast: 16 killed, 57 injured in Kohat
At least 16 people, including five police personnel, were killed and 57 others injured after a suicide blast struck a mosque near the old Police Lines in Kohat district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province during Friday prayers on September 18.
According to officials, an explosives-laden vehicle rammed into the outer wall or gate of the police compound as police personnel, their families and other worshippers were gathered for prayers. The blast was followed by an exchange of fire between security forces and armed militants.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed said five police personnel were among those killed. The injured were taken to hospitals, including the Combined Military Hospital in Kohat, while a security cordon was placed around the area and a search operation launched.
The explosion caused extensive damage to the mosque and nearby structures, with parts of the building collapsing. Rescue teams worked to evacuate victims and search through the rubble. The District Headquarters Hospital declared an emergency as casualties were brought in.
Dawn reported that the Hafiz Gul Bahadur-led Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack. However, Reuters reported that there was initially no immediate claim of responsibility and that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) denied involvement. The conflicting claims have not been independently resolved.
Police said the attack involved multiple assailants. According to Reuters, seven attackers were killed in the explosion and subsequent gunfight.
Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack. Sharif directed authorities to accelerate rescue and relief operations and sought a report on the incident.
The bombing comes amid continuing militant violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a region that has witnessed repeated attacks on security forces and civilians. Reuters reported that Pakistani authorities have blamed militants operating from sanctuaries in Afghanistan, an allegation rejected by Afghanistan's Taliban government.
with inputs from PTI
