At least 16 people, including five police personnel and 11 civilians, were killed and more than 50 others injured in a suspected suicide bombing near the old Police Lines in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Friday.
This blast occurred in the course of Friday prayers at the mosque, which is situated inside or adjacent to the Police Lines compound. According to the initial information provided by the police, a car loaded with explosives was pushed against the gate of the Police Lines, causing a powerful blast.
The explosion badly destroyed the exterior part of the mosque and a wall had collapsed. The rescue workers also stated that the explosion had formed a crater outside the mosque. Emergency services rushed to the spot and started evacuating the injured, while more police personnel were sent to patrol the area.
Casualties And Rescue Operation
Casualty figures kept changing with every passing minute as the rescue teams kept working. According to subsequent reports by local authorities, the death toll rose up to 16 people, out of which five were policemen and 11 were civilians, whereas more than 50 people got injured.
The injured people were taken to District Headquarters Hospital, Kohat, as an emergency was declared to cater to such a large number of victims. First aid was being provided to the injured by the Rescue 1122 teams.
Moreover, the Kohat-Hangu Road was also closed after the blast.
Security Operation Underway
An exchange of gunfire was also reported to have taken place after the explosion between the security officials and militants armed with guns in the vicinity. According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police, Zulfiqar Hamid, it seemed from the preliminary findings that the explosion had been carried out through the use of an explosive laden vehicle.
No militant group had immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The bombing occurred amid continuing militant violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Asif Ali Zardari, President of Pakistan, along with the prime minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, has condemned this attack. The leaders of the federation have expressed their grief over the death toll and condemned the attack.
Meanwhile, the operations of rescue and security have been continuing in the place, and more information about the identity of the deceased individuals, nature of the attack, and the perpetrators is awaited.
This is a developing story.
Sources: The Express Tribune, and The News.
