Kohat Suicide Bombing and Compound Attack Leaves 23 Dead

The attack left at least 23 people dead, including 15 police officers and six civilians, according to updated police and Counter-Terrorism Department figures.

A senior police official cited by local broadcasters noted that the initial blast occurred near a mosque inside the compound during Friday prayers, creating a deep crater outside the building. According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police inspector general, a simultaneous suicide blast targeted a special branch police building amid an exchange of gunfire.

Among those killed in the compound were Traffic Superintendent Akbar Shinwari, Dr. Israel Orakzai who served as the head of the paediatric department at DHQ Hospital, and several Special Branch and CTD officials. Funeral prayers for 15 police personnel were held in Kohat on Friday evening, after which their bodies were transported in Rescue 1122 ambulances to their native districts of Kohat, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, and Mardan.

Twenty-One Hour Clearance Operation and Retaliatory Action

Security forces concluded an overnight clearance operation lasting approximately 21 hours following the deadly assault. Elite Force commandos, Counter-Terrorism Department teams, and regular security forces cleared key parts of the damaged buildings after four attackers penetrated the Police Lines compound.

Two of the attackers holed up on the first floor were killed when clean-up operations resumed at 5 a.m., with one being neutralized and the other detonating his explosives vest after being badly burned. Officials confirmed that a total of eight terrorists died during the retaliatory actions carried out by police and security forces.

The operation was supervised on site by KP Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed, alongside the CTD additional inspector general, the Kohat regional police officer, the Kohat district police officer, and the Kohat general officer commanding. During the operation, the CTD additional IG sustained a hand injury from a grenade attack but returned to the frontline after receiving first aid to supervise the final stages and maintain personnel morale.

“Law enforcement agencies achieved success following an overnight operation.”

Official Condemnations and Attribution

The Hafiz Gul Bahadur-led Ittehadul Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the assault. Islamabad attributes such attacks to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, referring to the group under the designation Fitna al-Khawarij.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed regret over civilian casualties and voiced his stance on social media. KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also sought a detailed report on the incident, calling the targeting of citizens deeply regrettable and unacceptable while directing authorities to ensure immediate medical treatment for the injured. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a strong condemnation through spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, emphasizing that attacks targeting civilians and places of worship are unacceptable and calling for perpetrators to be held accountable.

Historical Context and Security Response

The assault echoes past violence in the region. In 2010, a remote-controlled bomb blast inside a police colony behind the Kohat Police Lines killed 20 people—mostly relatives of police officers—and injured more than 90 during Ramadan Iftar.

Following the conclusion of the latest clearance operation, IG Hameed commended the participating officers and announced financial rewards. Separately, security forces reported killing seven militants in two operations in the southwestern Balochistan province, according to state-run Radio Pakistan.