PESHAWAR: At least 21 people were martyred and 103 injured on Friday when a suicide bomber and armed militants attacked a mosque inside the Police Lines compound in Kohat during Friday prayers, officials said.
The explosion occurred during Friday prayers when worshippers, including police personnel and their families, were present at the mosque inside the police compound. A suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the outer wall of the facility, according to police.
The blast was followed by an exchange of fire between police and armed militants who attempted to enter the Police Lines compound.
According to the Central Police Office, seven armed attackers infiltrated the compound following the explosion. Police and Counter-Terrorism Department personnel engaged the militants, with a sniper among the attackers killed during the initial phase of the operation.
Police later said six attackers, including the suicide bomber and the sniper, had been killed as the clearance operation entered its final stages. Other reports said all seven attackers were ultimately killed.
The explosion caused extensive damage to the police facility, while rescue teams rushed to the scene and shifted the injured to nearby hospitals. An emergency was declared at the District Headquarters Hospital in Kohat.
Rescue 1122 deployed 14 ambulances, 20 rescue vehicles and more than 60 personnel for the search and rescue operation.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hamid said the provincial police had the capability to eliminate the militants and vowed that the attack would not weaken the force’s morale.
He directed officials to ensure timely and adequate medical treatment for the injured and sought a detailed report from the Regional Police Officer Kohat.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi condemned the attack and directed authorities to use all available resources to provide immediate medical care to the injured. He also ordered arrangements for shifting critically wounded patients to other hospitals if required.
KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also condemned the blast and directed authorities to ensure the provision of the best possible medical facilities to those injured.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and directed authorities to ensure immediate and comprehensive medical treatment for the injured.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the explosion and expressed grief over the casualties. He directed authorities to expedite rescue operations, provide all possible assistance to those affected and submit a report on the nature and causes of the attack.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned the blast and expressed condolences to the families of those killed.
The attack came a day after six soldiers were martyred in a roadside bomb attack in neighbouring Hangu, while security forces killed 10 militants in separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
No group had immediately claimed responsibility for the Kohat attack, according to reports.