A powerful bomb exploded at a mosque near a police office building in the Kohat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, killing at least 15 to 16 people and injuring more than 50 others, officials said. The blast caused significant damage to the mosque and the adjacent police facility, with the explosion heard from a considerable distance.
According to provincial police chief Zulfiqar Hameed, the attack involved an explosives-laden vehicle driven into the mosque, a site frequented by worshippers. Bilal Faizi, a senior rescue official, confirmed that among the dead were five police officers and 10 civilians, and many of the wounded were congregants, some in critical condition.
Following the bombing, at least two armed assailants attempted to breach the police compound, engaging in gunfire with security personnel. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the police office’s outer wall collapse and smoke rising from the scene shortly after the blast.
The attack took place amid a recent surge in violence in the region, where security forces have intensified operations against militant groups. Government troops reportedly conducted raids the previous day, killing 10 militants believed to be members of the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Separately, a roadside bomb in the northwestern Hangu district targeted a convoy of security forces, killing six soldiers on Thursday.
No group has officially claimed responsibility for the mosque bombing, but Pakistani officials suspect the Pakistani Taliban, which has frequently targeted police and civilians in recent years. The TTP is distinct from but allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban government, which returned to power in 2021. Islamabad has accused Kabul of providing sanctuary to the TTP and allowing cross-border attacks, allegations denied by the Afghan government.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing and expressed condolences for the victims, directing authorities to expedite rescue efforts. The attack recalls a similar devastating incident in 2023, when a suicide bomber killed 101 people inside a mosque in Peshawar, the provincial capital.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which shares a border with Afghanistan, has been a frequent flashpoint for militant activity, complicating Pakistan’s efforts to maintain security in the area. The latest bombing underscores the continuing challenges faced by security forces in combating insurgent violence in the northwestern region.