SUICIDE BOMBING AT PAKISTAN MOSQUE KILLS 16, INJURES 57

Fri 18 September 2026:

Explosives-laden vehicle strikes mosque inside Kohat police compound as gunmen exchange fire with officers

At least 16 people have been killed and 57 others wounded after a suicide car bomb struck a mosque inside a police compound in Kohat, in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The attack occurred during Friday prayers, when police officers and their families had gathered at the mosque. Provincial police chief Zulfikar Hameed said the attacker drove an explosives-laden vehicle into the compound’s outer wall. A gun battle followed as armed men attempted to enter the police facility.

Hospital officials said five police officers and 11 civilians were among those killed, while most of the wounded were worshippers. Several injured people were reported to be in critical condition.

Bomb Attack on Kohat Mosque Kills 16 During Prayers

The assault hit a mosque at the old Police Lines in Pakistan’s Kohat district, killing at least 16 people and wounding over 50 others as rescuers pulled the injured from the debris. pic.twitter.com/BICI9lYbFu

— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) September 18, 2026

Mosque and Police Facility Damaged

The powerful blast severely damaged the mosque and caused part of the police compound’s outer wall to collapse.

Television footage showed residents and rescuers gathering at the scene, searching through debris and assisting wounded people. Witnesses said the explosion was powerful enough to be heard from a considerable distance.

Police said seven attackers were killed in the explosion and subsequent exchange of gunfire. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

The attack came a day after a roadside bomb struck a security forces convoy in neighbouring Hangu district, killing six soldiers.

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TTP Suspicions and Regional Militancy

Suspicion initially focused on the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has carried out numerous attacks against Pakistani security forces and civilians. However, Reuters reported that the TTP later denied involvement in Friday’s bombing.

The TTP is separate from Afghanistan’s Taliban government but is an allied militant organisation. Pakistan has repeatedly accused authorities in Kabul of allowing TTP members to operate from Afghan territory.

Afghan authorities have rejected those allegations, saying militant activity inside Pakistan is an internal issue. The dispute has contributed to heightened tensions and intermittent cross-border military action between the two countries.

Military Operations Intensify

The Kohat bombing followed Pakistani military operations in the region.

On Thursday, security forces conducted raids in North Waziristan and Hangu districts and said they had killed 10 militants believed to be members of the TTP.

The military has faced an increase in attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other areas close to the Afghan border, with police and soldiers frequently among the targets.

Government Condemns Attack

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing and directed authorities to accelerate rescue and relief operations.

The Interior Ministry also denounced the attack, saying the “cowardly actions” of the attackers could not weaken the “nation’s firm resolve”.

The latest bombing adds to a worsening security situation in Pakistan’s northwestern border regions, where militant attacks and tensions with Afghanistan have increased in recent months.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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