Suicide Bombing and Militant Assault on Pakistan Police Headquarters Kills 31
A deadly suicide bombing and coordinated militant attack on a police headquarters in Kohat, near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan, has claimed the lives of at least 31 people and left more than 100 others injured, according to police officials. Security forces continued exchanging fire with militants on Saturday as the operation entered its second day.
The attack began on Friday when heavily armed militants stormed the Kohat District Police Headquarters in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. An explosives-laden vehicle detonated near the police compound, triggering a massive blast that severely damaged a mosque where police personnel, their family members, and civilians were gathered for prayers.
Police said the death toll includes 16 police officers, while dozens of other victims sustained injuries in the explosion and subsequent gun battle. Emergency teams rushed the wounded to nearby hospitals as rescue operations continued through the night.
Authorities stated that at least two additional attackers attempted to breach the police facility after the suicide bombing, leading to an intense firefight with security forces. Several militants remain barricaded inside the Special Branch section of the police complex, and security personnel are continuing clearance operations. Officials have not yet confirmed the exact number of attackers still inside the building.
The militant outfit Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan, a group linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has claimed responsibility for the assault. The incident marks one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in the region this year and highlights the continuing security challenges in Pakistan’s northwestern border areas.
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