A violent attack targeting a mosque within a police facility in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has claimed the lives of at least 21 people and left over 100 others injured. The incident occurred around 13:15 local time on Friday as congregants were gathered for prayers.
According to reports from the state-run APP news agency, the assault began when a vehicle packed with explosives was driven into the mosque's entrance. The explosion was accompanied by an armed attack on the compound. Authorities confirmed that 15 police officers and a four-year-old child were among the fatalities. During the subsequent gun battle and blast, at least six of the attackers were killed.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police have attributed the violence to a faction of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group the government refers to as "Fitna-al-Khawarij." The TTP, which has ties to al-Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban, has been active in the region since 2007. The provincial governor, Faisal Karim Kundi, noted that the area has faced significant challenges in its ongoing efforts to combat militancy.
The attack drew international condemnation, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres stating that targeting places of worship is "unacceptable." Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari issued a statement calling for the total eradication of terrorism in the country. This incident follows a recent surge in militant activity targeting security forces along Pakistan's border regions, a trend that has strained diplomatic relations with Afghanistan over allegations regarding militant safe havens.
Source: BBC News
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