A devastating explosion rocked a mosque located near a police facility in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, resulting in the tragic deaths of at least 15 individuals and injuring 56 more, as confirmed by police and rescue authorities. The incident took place in Kohat, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, where it is believed that an assailant drove an explosives-laden vehicle into the mosque, according to Zulfiqar Hameed, the provincial police chief. Among the casualties, five police officers and ten civilians have been identified by hospital officials, with most of the wounded individuals being worshippers, some of whom are in critical condition.
Additionally, reports indicated that two armed assailants made a failed attempt to breach the police compound, engaging in a firefight with officers. Images captured at the scene displayed the severe damages to the mosque and the collapsed outer wall of the police offices, with smoke billowing from the area following the explosion, which witnesses reported hearing from a considerable distance away, accompanied by gunfire.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif swiftly denounced the attack, expressing deep sorrow for the loss of lives and instructing authorities to expedite rescue efforts. The surge in violence in the region has been concerning, with security forces intensifying operations against militants. Despite the lack of an immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, suspicions point towards the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The bombing incident occurred a day after a security forces convoy in the northwestern Hangu district was targeted by a roadside bomb, resulting in the deaths of six soldiers. Furthermore, government forces conducted raids in various regions, resulting in the elimination of 10 suspected militants linked to the Pakistani Taliban. Notably, the Pakistani Taliban has been increasingly targeting police and civilians in recent years, as seen in the 2023 suicide bombing that claimed 101 lives in a Peshawar mosque.
It is important to distinguish the Pakistani Taliban from Afghanistan’s Taliban, who regained power in 2021. Pakistan has consistently accused Kabul of providing refuge to the TTP and overlooking cross-border militant activities. In response, the Afghan government has refuted these accusations, denying any collaboration with the militant group.