A mosque in northwestern Pakistan was targeted by a vehicle bomb and gunmen on Friday, resulting in the deaths of at least 21 people and injuring 80 others, including police officers attending prayers. The incident took place in Kohat, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, where an attacker drove an explosives-laden vehicle into the mosque, according to Zulfiqar Hameed, the provincial police chief.
Most of the casualties were police officers, as confirmed by hospital officials. Additionally, a group of seven armed gunmen tried to enter the police compound and engaged in a firefight with officers. Six of the gunmen were killed, along with a suicide bomber who targeted an intelligence agency office nearby.
The police compound housed counterterrorism police units, known for their operations against militants in the region. The aftermath of the attack showed severe damage to the mosque and the police offices, with smoke billowing from the site following the explosion.
While no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, suspicions point towards the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). This incident occurred amidst escalating violence in the area, with recent clashes between security forces and militants resulting in casualties on both sides.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and urged swift rescue operations to assist the affected individuals. The bombing follows a series of recent violent incidents in the region, including a previous attack on a security forces convoy and subsequent military operations against militants.
The Pakistani Taliban has been active in targeting police and civilians in the region, with a history of deadly attacks, including a past suicide bombing in Peshawar. The group’s alleged ties to the Taliban in Afghanistan have strained relations between the two countries, with accusations of cross-border militant activities and sheltering of extremists.
Efforts to mediate the tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have been ongoing, with recent meetings involving Turkish intelligence officials and high-ranking Pakistani authorities. Turkey has expressed its commitment to facilitating dialogue to address the longstanding conflicts between the neighboring countries.
The attack in Kohat underscores the ongoing security challenges in the region and the need for coordinated efforts to combat terrorism and promote peace between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
