On September 18, a suicide blast during Friday prayers at a mosque near the old Police Lines in Kohat district, northwest Pakistan, killed at least 16 people and injured dozens. Five police officers and 11 civilians were among the dead.
An explosives‑laden vehicle rammed the mosque gate, detonated, and sparked an exchange of fire with armed militants. A second suicide blast struck the Special Branch building amid the firefight. The impact collapsed the mosque roof and left a crater outside the premises. Hospital officials reported that 15 bodies were taken to the District Headquarters Hospital and more than 50 people were injured.
The attack was claimed by Ittehad‑ul‑Mujahideen Pakistan, a little‑known militant alliance formed in April 2025 that includes the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, Harakat Inqilab‑e‑Islami Pakistan and Lashkar‑e‑Islam.
Rescue 1122 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa teams reached the scene quickly and transferred many wounded to nearby hospitals. Provincial Police Chief Zulfiqar Hameed ordered a detailed report and urged timely medical care, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police pledged to remain an iron wall against terrorism. President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Governor Faisal Karim Kundi condemned the attack, called for swift relief and the elimination of foreign‑sponsored terrorists, and the provincial Chief Minister also requested a police report. Terror activity has surged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan in recent years.
