SIXTEEN KILLED AS SUICIDE ATTACK HITS MOSQUE COMPLEX IN PAKISTAN

At least 16 people have been killed and 57 others injured after a suicide attack struck a police facility in Kohat, in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, on Friday. The attack occurred during Friday prayers when police officers, their families and other worshippers were gathered at a mosque located within the police compound. Five police officers were among those killed in the attack, according to provincial police chief Zulfikar Hameed.

Officials said the attacker drove an explosives-laden vehicle into the outer wall of the police facility before an exchange of gunfire followed. Armed men who accompanied the suicide attacker reportedly opened fire after the explosion, leading to a confrontation with security personnel. The blast severely damaged part of the compound, while rescuers and residents were seen helping injured victims and searching through debris for survivors.

All seven attackers were killed during the explosion and the gun battle that followed, according to the police. The injured victims were taken to hospitals in Kohat for treatment, with some reportedly in serious condition. Security forces quickly moved into the area, cordoned off the scene and launched search operations as authorities worked to determine the full circumstances surrounding the attack.

There was no immediate confirmed claim of responsibility for the assault. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, one of the major militant groups operating in the region, later denied involvement. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other areas along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan have experienced increased militant attacks in recent months, with security personnel and government facilities frequently targeted.

Pakistan’s Interior Ministry condemned the attack and said the incident would not weaken the country’s resolve against militancy. The attack has renewed concerns over security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where authorities have continued operations against armed groups. Pakistani officials have accused militants of using safe havens in Afghanistan to plan and carry out attacks, a claim the Taliban government in Afghanistan has rejected.