The death toll from the blast at the Old Police Lines in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has risen to 21, comprising 15 police personnel and six civilians.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed stated that, according to initial reports, an explosives-laden vehicle was rammed into the Old Police Lines; a gun battle with armed militants is also underway following the explosion.
According to Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi, the blast occurred around 1:15 PM.
Kohat Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Nawaz Wazir confirmed the 21 fatalities while speaking to the BBC’s Bilal Ahmed, noting that SP Traffic Police Akbar Shinwari was among the deceased.
Speaking to BBC News’ Usman Zahid, Abdul Salam Khalid, Director of Public Relations at the Central Police Office, stated that the militants had targeted the Police Lines and the mosque located there; Friday prayers were in progress when the incident occurred.
According to the KP IG, initial reports indicate that following the initial blast, a suicide bomber blew himself up near the Special Branch office.
A Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police spokesperson stated that after the explosion at the Police Lines mosque, seven armed terrorists infiltrated the compound, prompting a fierce response from the police and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD).
According to him, reports so far indicate that six terrorists—including a suicide bomber and a sniper—have been killed, and the clearance operation has entered its final stages. On September 10, 2026, Houthi fighters in Yemen are seen raising slogans while brandishing weapons during a rally in the capital, Sana’a.
The mosque targeted by the terrorist attack in Kohat is located on Hangu Road—a historic, bustling, and strategically vital thoroughfare.
According to a Kohat police spokesperson, the Old Police Lines area is densely populated and busy; in addition to the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) office, several other important offices are situated within the Old Police Lines complex.
The spokesperson stated that the blast damaged the mosque’s outer wall and nearby buildings. A confrontation with the terrorists is ongoing, and the Peshawar-Kohat Road has been closed to general traffic.
Hangu Road connects Kohat to the districts of Hangu, Orakzai, and Kurram, and is considered crucial for Kohat’s security.
The Old Police Lines area is of immense importance to Kohat, as it serves as a gateway to the city’s commercial hubs, civil administrative offices, and the military cantonment.
This area lies at the junction of Kohat’s old urban district and the military cantonment zone; the boundaries of the Kohat Cantonment begin just behind the Old Police Lines.
The District Headquarters Hospital, Kohat, is located just a few minutes’ drive from the Old Police Lines.
This specific zone and section of Hangu Road houses not only the Old Police Lines but also the Cantonment Police Station, the City Police Station, and the Counter-Terrorism Department office.
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