Death Toll Rises in Pakistan Police Complex Attack
A coordinated assault on a police headquarters in Kohat has left at least 31 dead, triggering an ongoing security operation and renewed tensions along the Afghan border.
The death toll from a violent assault on a police headquarters in northern Pakistan has risen to at least 31, according to senior officials. The attack, which combined a suicide bombing with a sustained gun battle, targeted a crowded prayer gathering inside the complex in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Security forces reported that fighting was still active inside the facility, with assailants reportedly taking refuge in the Special Branch section. The incident has resulted in significant casualties among police personnel, with over 100 individuals injured, many of them in critical condition.
Assault Targets Congregated Prayer Gathering
The attack began with an explosion near a mosque within the Old Police Lines complex, leaving a visible crater and shattering surrounding structures. According to local health authorities, the blast struck while many were gathered for Friday prayers, maximizing the number of casualties among both civilians and law enforcement officers stationed at the site.
The complex serves as a district-level hub for several key security units, including the Counter Terrorism Department. Images from the scene described by AFP showed military personnel securing areas strewn with rubble and blown-out walls, while ambulances lined the streets nearby to transport the injured to local hospitals.
Militant Faction Claims Immediate Responsibility
A local militant group known as IMP, which is linked to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, has claimed responsibility for the operation. The group’s statement indicated that the target was specifically the police infrastructure, aiming to inflict maximum damage on security assets in the region.
Pakistani authorities have long attributed the rise in such incidents to cross-border elements operating from Afghanistan. This attribution has fueled a diplomatic and military rift between the two neighbors, with Pakistan conducting air strikes in Afghan territory that Kabul’s Taliban government denies are connected to the attacks.
Government Condemns Attack and Vows Security
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life, directing officials to provide the best possible medical care to the wounded. President Asif Ali Zardari also issued a statement of regret, emphasizing the necessity of eliminating extremist groups that he described as operating with foreign backing.
As the security operation continues, the focus remains on the containment of the remaining assailants within the complex. The incident underscores the persistent volatility in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the broader challenges Pakistan faces in securing its western border against cross-border militant threats.
