KOHAT, Pakistan (Sept. 18, 2026) — At least 16 people, including five police officers and 11 civilians, were killed Friday when a vehicle loaded with explosives rammed a mosque near police headquarters in Kohat district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during Friday prayers, senior police officials said.

BBC News, citing a senior police official in Peshawar and Reuters, reported a gun battle still underway between attackers and security forces at the site near the Old Police Lines, roughly 60 kilometers southwest of Peshawar. One assailant had been killed, an officer said, and a rescue operation continued with the death toll possibly still rising.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed described the assault as a suicide attack, according to Reuters via BBC. Local reporting, including The News International and Geo News, said District Headquarters Hospital received about 15 bodies and more than 50 injured, with a crater outside the mosque and damage to the outer structure. Kohat–Hangu Road was closed and the hospital declared an emergency.

No claim yet; officials condemn

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif condemned the blast and called for care for the wounded. Militancy in Pakistan’s border areas has risen sharply in recent months; Islamabad says militants use safe havens in Afghanistan — a charge the Taliban government denies.

Dated Friday, Sept. 18, 2026: Kohat Police Lines mosque attack during Friday prayers; ≥16 dead (5 police, 11 civilians); ongoing firefight reported; no claim of responsibility.

Sources