The death toll from an attack on the Kohat police headquarters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has climbed to at least 31, including 16 police officers, with over 100 people wounded. Several militants are reported to be holed up inside the Special Branch section and firefights have continued since late Friday night. The local group Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan, linked to the TTP, claimed responsibility amid rising cross-border tensions with Afghanistan.
31 Killed, Dozens Wounded as Militants Storm Kohat Police Headquarters
Army personnel inspect following an explosion inside the police headquarters at Kohat in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on September 18, 2026 (Basit SHAH)
The death toll from an explosion and gun attack on the Old Police Lines complex in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has risen to at least 31, including 16 police personnel, a senior police official told AFP on Saturday. More than 100 people were reported wounded, many of them police officers, and several are in critical condition.
Attack Details
Gunmen attacked the district-level police headquarters on Friday afternoon. The compound houses key units including the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and the Special Branch. Authorities say several militants remain holed up in the Special Branch section and an exchange of fire has been ongoing since late Friday night.
"At least 31 people, including 16 police personnel, have been killed and more than 100 injured so far in the militant attack and suicide bombing," a police official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Local militant group Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan, a faction linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has claimed responsibility for the assault. Military personnel were seen among piles of rubble and blown-out walls around the complex, with soldiers and ambulances responding to the scene.
Context and Reaction
Islamabad has blamed a recent rise in attacks in KP and Balochistan on militants allegedly operating from Afghan territory — an accusation denied by the Taliban administration in Kabul. Cross-border tensions have escalated into armed exchanges, and Pakistan says it has conducted airstrikes targeting militants in eastern Afghanistan. Kabul and the United Nations have reported civilian casualties from recent Pakistani strikes.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, urging that "the best medical assistance be provided to the injured" and ordering a full report. President Asif Ali Zardari expressed regret over the casualties and called for the elimination of extremist groups he described as "Fitna-al-Khawarij" and those operating with foreign backing.
Security forces continued operations at the complex as investigations proceeded and authorities worked to account for casualties and secure the area.
Help us improve.
