At least 16 people, including five police officers, were killed on Friday, September 18, 2026, after a vehicle loaded with explosives struck a mosque near the police headquarters in Kohat district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, north-western Pakistan, according to Pakistani officials.
The Pakistan mosque blast occurred close to the Kohat police headquarters and was followed by an exchange of gunfire between security forces and attackers, with the security operation still under way at the time of reporting.
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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Chief Inspector General Zulfikar Hameed described the incident as a suicide attack, according to Reuters.
One attacker was reported dead as security personnel continued efforts to contain the assault and secure the area.
A rescue operation was also launched to assist people affected by the explosion and evacuate survivors.
The attack prompted condemnation from Pakistan’s political leadership, with President Asif Ali Zardari expressing sympathy for those affected and extending his wishes for the speedy recovery of people injured in the blast.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the attack.
No militant organisation had immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing.
The incident comes amid heightened militant activity in parts of Pakistan, particularly in areas close to the country’s border with Afghanistan.
Pakistani authorities have repeatedly accused militant groups operating from Afghan territory of organising attacks inside Pakistan.
Afghanistan’s Taliban-led administration has rejected those accusations and maintained that militancy inside Pakistan is an internal matter for Islamabad to address.
The latest attack adds to security concerns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where police and military personnel have frequently been targeted by militant groups.
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Authorities were continuing their security and rescue operations around the mosque as details of the casualties and circumstances surrounding the attack emerged.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
