Kohat Police Lines Attack: Death Toll, CTD Investigation and Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions Explained
At least 24 people are reported dead after a coordinated suicide bombing and armed assault on the Old Police Lines complex in Kohat, northwestern Pakistan, while investigators examine how the attackers breached the heavily guarded compound and whether facilitators or cross-border militant networks w
Pakistan's Counter-Terrorism Department has opened a formal terrorism investigation into the deadly attack on the Old Police Lines complex in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as authorities work to identify the attackers, trace their support network and determine how the assault was planned.
The attack began during Friday prayers on September 18, when an explosives-laden vehicle was detonated near a mosque inside or adjacent to the Police Lines compound.
Armed attackers then entered the complex, opening fire and using grenades as security personnel fought to prevent them from reaching additional police buildings.
The confrontation continued for about 20 to 21 hours before authorities announced that the compound had been cleared and eight attackers had been killed.
Key Takeaways
At least 24 people reported killed; some media cite higher figures.
Eight attackers killed after roughly 20-hour clearance operation.
CTD has registered a terrorism case against unidentified militants.
Investigators examining possible facilitators and cross-border links.
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A Hafiz Gul Bahadur-led militant grouping has claimed responsibility.
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What Is the Latest Kohat Death Toll?
This remains the most confusing part of the story because different official and media sources have published different totals.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police and Counter-Terrorism Department officials told Dawn that 23 people had been killed, comprising 17 police personnel and six civilians, after the clearance operation ended.
A Kohat hospital official subsequently told Anadolu that the toll had risen to 24, including 18 police officers and six civilians, after additional injured officers died.
Reuters, in its latest September 21 reporting, also described the Kohat assault as having killed at least 24 people, including 15 police officials.
Separately, AFP reported that an unnamed senior police official said 31 people, including 16 police personnel, had been killed. That figure was widely repeated internationally. However, the AFP number conflicts with subsequent named or locally attributed totals of 23 or 24 and has not yet been clearly reconciled by Pakistani authorities.
For a current factual report, the most cautious wording is therefore:
At least 24 people have been reported killed, although some media reports have cited a death toll as high as 31.
More than 100 people were injured according to police, rescue and hospital accounts.
How the Attack Unfolded
According to the FIR registered by the Counter-Terrorism Department, the attackers used an explosives-laden vehicle in the initial assault.
After the blast, armed militants opened fire and threw hand grenades while attempting to move deeper into the Police Lines compound.
Police personnel returned fire, while the Pakistan Army, CTD, Elite Force and other security units later joined the operation.
The complex is an especially sensitive target because it houses offices connected to the Counter-Terrorism Department and Special Branch, along with other police facilities and accommodation used by security personnel.
The blast badly damaged the mosque area and sections of the compound.
Eight Attackers Killed After Prolonged Standoff
Security forces said the clearance operation ended after roughly 20 to 21 hours.
Police recovered the bodies of eight attackers.
According to AP, six assailants were killed by security forces while two others detonated explosives during the confrontation.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police later said all eight attackers had been killed and the compound had been secured.
The extended duration of the operation indicates that the assault was more complex than a single suicide bombing.
Initial Investigation Says Attackers May Have Planned Long Siege
One of the most important investigation updates comes from Pakistani security officials cited by The Express Tribune.
Investigators believe the attackers intended to remain inside the Police Lines compound for an extended period rather than simply carry out a bombing and immediately withdraw.
According to the initial investigation, the militants carried grenades, rifles and additional explosives, and at least one attacker was equipped as a sniper.
Officials said the attackers appeared to have planned to disperse security personnel after the initial blast and then occupy parts of the compound for several hours.
Security forces used drone surveillance during the clearance operation to follow militant movements, according to the report.
These conclusions remain part of an initial investigation and should not yet be treated as final findings.
CTD Opens Terrorism Case
Police registered a First Information Report at the Counter-Terrorism Department police station on the complaint of the Station House Officer of Kohat City Police Station.
The FIR was filed against unidentified attackers and includes provisions relating to terrorism, murder, attempted murder and other offences.
Investigators are examining the identities of the attackers, how the weapons and explosives were supplied, how the group gained access to the compound and whether local facilitators assisted the operation.
Police have said efforts are underway to identify and arrest any surviving suspects or facilitators associated with the attack.
No publicly confirmed arrest of a suspected mastermind had been announced in the reliable reports reviewed as of September 21.
Who Claimed Responsibility?
The responsibility issue also requires careful attribution.
Reuters reported on September 21 that an Islamist militant group called Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen, headed by militant commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur, claimed responsibility for the Kohat attack in a statement sent to the news agency.
Pakistani reporting has also referred to Ittihadul Mujahideen Pakistan, or IMP, in connection with the attack and linked the group to Gul Bahadur.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, was initially suspected because of its long-running campaign against Pakistani security forces, but Reuters reported that the claim came from the Gul Bahadur-led grouping.
That distinction matters.
It is therefore safer to say:
A militant coalition led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur has claimed responsibility, rather than stating simply that the TTP carried out the attack.
Why Investigators Are Examining an Afghanistan Connection
Pakistan has repeatedly alleged that militant organizations attacking Pakistani targets are operating from sanctuaries inside Afghanistan.
The Taliban government in Kabul denies sheltering anti-Pakistan militant groups and says Pakistan's insurgency is an internal security problem.
Following the Kohat attack, Pakistani authorities again raised concerns about possible Afghanistan-based militant networks.
A senior Pakistani police official quoted by Dawn said investigators were working to establish the identities of the attackers and examine a possible Afghan connection.
At this stage, a cross-border link is part of the investigation and Pakistani government's broader allegation; it is not the same as independently established proof that the Afghan government directed the Kohat attack.
Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry condemned the assault.
Pakistan Carries Out Airstrikes in Afghanistan
The security crisis escalated further on September 21.
Pakistan's Information Ministry said Pakistani forces conducted airstrikes against three targets in Afghanistan and claimed 28 “terrorists” and suicide bombers were killed.
Afghan officials gave a very different account.
They said at least three civilians were killed and four wounded, including casualties in Kunar province, and accused Pakistan of attacking civilian areas. Afghanistan's Taliban government said it would respond to what it called Pakistani aggression.
Pakistan's statement did not publicly establish that the people targeted in those strikes were directly involved in the Kohat attack.
The airstrikes should therefore be described as occurring in the aftermath of renewed militant attacks in Pakistan, rather than as a confirmed operation against the exact perpetrators of the Kohat assault.
Why the Kohat Attack Is Significant
The Old Police Lines complex is not an ordinary civilian site.
It contains specialist police units responsible for intelligence gathering and counterterrorism operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Successfully breaching such a facility highlights the continuing ability of militant groups to target heavily guarded security installations.
The assault also came amid a broader increase in violence in Pakistan's northwestern districts near Afghanistan.
Reuters noted that the Kohat attack has renewed concerns about competing militant networks operating against the Pakistani state.
Similar Attacks Have Targeted Police Before
Pakistan's police forces have repeatedly been targeted by militant organizations.
In January 2023, a suicide bomber struck a mosque inside a police compound in Peshawar, killing more than 100 people, most of them police officers.
The Kohat assault is smaller in casualty terms but shares several characteristics: a security compound, a mosque used by police personnel, and an attack designed to inflict heavy casualties on law enforcement.
What Investigators Are Looking for Now
The investigation is expected to focus on several issues:
the confirmed identities and affiliations of the eight dead attackers;
who supplied the explosives, vehicles, grenades and firearms;
whether local facilitators conducted surveillance or provided logistical support;
how attackers approached and breached the police complex;
whether the assault was planned from inside Pakistan or across the Afghan border;
and whether the attackers intended a prolonged hostage-style or siege operation.
Authorities have not publicly released complete forensic results.
Any claims identifying specific organizers, foreign intelligence involvement or individual masterminds should therefore be treated as unverified unless investigators formally announce evidence.
Government Response
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack.
Pakistani authorities said the country would continue counterterrorism operations and pressed the Afghan Taliban government to prevent militants from using Afghan territory against Pakistan.
The Information Ministry subsequently warned that Pakistan had both the capability and the will to act against threats to its territory.
Those statements were followed by the September 21 airstrikes inside Afghanistan, increasing the risk of another period of direct Pakistan-Afghanistan confrontation.
Latest Confirmed Picture
As of September 21, the strongest available evidence establishes that a coordinated suicide bombing and armed attack struck the Old Police Lines in Kohat on September 18.
At least 24 deaths have been reported in the latest Reuters/hospital-based accounts, while KP police and CTD previously confirmed 23. AFP separately reported 31 from an unnamed senior official, but that higher figure remains inconsistent with other official tallies.
More than 100 people were injured.
Eight attackers were killed after an approximately 20-hour clearance operation.
The CTD has registered a terrorism case against unidentified militants and is investigating possible facilitators, weapons supply routes, attacker identities and potential cross-border links.
A Hafiz Gul Bahadur-led militant grouping has claimed responsibility.
Pakistan has subsequently carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan, claiming to have killed 28 militants, while Afghan authorities say civilians were killed and have threatened a response.
The investigation into the Kohat attack itself remains active.
Bottom Line
A coordinated suicide bombing and armed assault on the Old Police Lines complex in Kohat has left at least 24 people dead, according to the latest reported tallies.
Eight attackers were killed after a prolonged security operation. Pakistan’s Counter-Terrorism Department is investigating the identities of the attackers, possible facilitators and potential cross-border connections. A militant group linked to Hafiz Gul Bahadur has claimed responsibility, while subsequent Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan have heightened bilateral tensions.
Key Takeaway
At least 24 killed in Kohat Police Lines attack.
Eight attackers dead after 20-hour operation.
CTD investigating; Gul Bahadur group claims responsibility.
Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions escalate after airstrikes.
The Rajatheertha Team publishes news, explainers, guides and updates across India and the world. Our coverage follows Rajatheertha's editorial, verification and corrections standards.
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