Car bombing and gun attack at Kohat police mosque leaves at least 21 dead

A vehicle packed with explosives struck the entrance of a mosque inside the Kohat police compound in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at about 13:15 local time during Friday prayers, police said.

Officials report at least 21 people killed and more than 100 injured. Authorities identified 15 police officers and a four-year-old child among the dead. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police said six attackers were killed in the explosion and the ensuing gunbattle.

The police suggested a faction of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) carried out the assault and used the designation “Fitna-al-Khawarij” in a post on X referring to the group.

President Asif Ali Zardari issued a statement wishing a “swift recovery” for the injured and called for the “complete elimination” of foreign-backed terrorists. A UN spokesman said Secretary‑General António Guterres “strongly condemns” the bombing and noted attacks on civilians and places of worship are unacceptable.

Pakistani officials say militancy in border areas has increased in recent months and accuse militants of using Afghanistan as a safe haven; Afghanistan’s Taliban government denies that and calls the issue domestic to Pakistan.

Video footage verified by BBC shows rubble at the mosque site and people attending to casualties. The casualty figures, timing and responsibility claims are drawn from police statements, local officials and national statements.