A powerful explosion ripped through a mosque near the old Police Lines in Kohat, Pakistan, during Friday prayers on September 18. The blast killed at least 16 people and injured more than 50 others, according to officials and hospital sources.
Most of those injured were worshippers. Several victims were also police personnel. The injured were rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital, where an emergency was declared to handle the large number of casualties. The mosque is located in Kohat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, around 60 kilometres southwest of Peshawar.
Powerful Blast Damages Mosque, Nearby Area
The rescue officials indicated that the blast had caused considerable destruction to the mosque. The existence of a crater had been noted near the site of the building, while parts of the building had fallen along with a nearby wall.
Video footage released after the blast showed the rescue workers and people going through the debris. Injured individuals were seen being carried away on stretchers by ambulances as rescue operations continued in the area.
Kohat Police Line Mosque suicide Blast, KPK Pakistan
16x indls including 5x police personnel have been killed and 50+ have been injured. pic.twitter.com/xz4hsisRHO
— War & Gore (@Goreunit) September 18, 2026
Attack Near Police Compound
Police said the blast occurred close to offices linked to the police compound. Earlier reports said armed attackers also exchanged fire with officers near the site.
Provincial police chief Zulfiqar Hameed said an explosives-laden vehicle was believed to have been used in the attack. Investigators were examining the exact circumstances of the explosion.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility from any party. Initially, the suspects were identified as the Pakistani Taliban or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Nevertheless, there was no official confirmation of their responsibility as of the reporting period.
Shehbaz Sharif Condemns Kohat Blast
Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, criticised the explosion and mourned the loss of life. He ordered the concerned departments to take steps to conduct quick relief work and provide medical aid to the injured individuals. He further asked for a report regarding the type of explosion and its cause.
This explosion follows a series of militant attacks in some areas of northwest Pakistan. A day before this blast, there was an explosion near Hangu that killed six soldiers. This incident has once again brought the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into focus.
Sudeep Singh Rawat is a Copy Editor at NewsX Digital with over five years of experience in digital journalism. He covers national and international news, with a focus on politics, crime, technology, public affairs, and trending topics. Before joining NewsX Digital, he worked with Business Standard, The Sunday Guardian, and other digital media organisations. His reporting focuses on breaking news, enterprise stories, and explainers that inform readers through accurate, balanced, and context-driven journalism.
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