Blast at Kohat police lines leaves 16 dead, 30 injured
Police said a “terrorist” was killed in a sniper engagement and that the “operation will continue until the complete elimination of Fitna al-Khawarij”.
At least 16 people were killed in a blast at a police lines in Kohat, a southern district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during Friday prayers, officials said.
According to Kohat police, a suicide attacker blew himself up near the Special Branch building following the blast.
“According to the information received, five police personnel and 11 civilians were killed in the blast,” police said.
Police said a “terrorist” was killed in a sniper engagement and that the “operation will continue until the complete elimination of Fitna al-Khawarij”.
According to provincial Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi, at least 30 people were injured and shifted to hospitals for immediate medical treatment.
Videos emerging after the blast showed sounds of gunfire, while additional police personnel were deployed to the area.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the blast at the old police lines in Kohat.
He directed that the injured be provided immediate and the best possible medical treatment and sought a report from the relevant authorities on the nature and causes of the blast.
The prime minister also directed that relief operations be expedited and all possible assistance be provided to those affected.
Militancy has increased in recent days in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan, with militant groups continuing to target security forces, police and civilians, resulting in several deaths.
Security forces are also continuing operations against militants in the province.
The federal government recently declared 26 districts across six regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as “hard areas” in terms of militancy, including Kohat.
