Peshawar, September 19, 2026: Eight militants were killed after police and security forces completed an overnight operation following the deadly attack at Kohat Police Lines in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Central Police Office (CPO) said on Saturday.
The joint operation was launched after an explosives-laden vehicle targeted a mosque inside the Police Lines during Friday prayers, killing at least 22 people, including 16 police officials, and injuring 103 others.
According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hamid, the explosives-laden vehicle rammed into the gate of the old Police Lines before exploding. He said firing also took place during the attack, while another suicide blast occurred at the Special Branch building amid an exchange of fire with the attackers.
The CPO said Elite Force commandos, Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) teams and security forces cleared key sections of the Police Lines during the operation. The operation was led by Additional IG CTD, the Regional Police Officer and the Kohat District Police Officer, while IGP Hamid and other senior officials remained at the site throughout.
IGP Hamid said the law enforcement agencies achieved success after an overnight operation, praising the police, CTD and security forces for their efforts.
Separately, security sources said the Pakistan Army launched an operation after Fajr prayers and killed the remaining suicide bombers who were hiding inside the Police Lines. The sources said seven militants were killed in the operation, which was directly supervised by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) Kohat.
Army commandos and personnel, along with bomb disposal teams, subsequently cleared the area and handed it over to the police, according to the security sources.
Meanwhile, terrorists opened fire on a police post at the main gate of the district courts in Kohat, damaging the post. Police said there were no casualties in the incident.
All offices and district courts located near the Police Lines have been closed as authorities adopted additional security measures.
An emergency has also been declared in Kohat, with intensified checking at all entry and exit points of the city.
