At least 16 people including five policemen were killed and over 50 injured on Friday when terrorists attacked a police facility in Kohat, northwestern Pakistan.
The coordinated assault began during Friday prayers when a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the facility's outer wall near a mosque. Following the massive blast the multiple armed militants infiltrated the premises with triggering a fierce and hours-long gun battle with security forces.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed confirmed the casualties also stating that six terrorists including the initial bomber were killed during the clearance operation. The attackers heavily targeted the Counter Terrorism Department and Special Branch buildings before being neutralized by law enforcement.
The Hafiz Gul Bahadur-led Ittehadul Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the carnage. Militancy in Pakistan’s border regions has surged sharply in recent months frequently targeting security outposts. Islamabad maintains that these militants utilize safe havens in neighboring Afghanistan to orchestrate attacks, a claim the Taliban government denies.
Pakistani leadership swiftly denounced the violence. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief over the loss of lives also directing authorities to expedite medical and relief operations. Both leaders reiterated the nation's steadfast resolve to eradicate terrorism.
Friday's attack serves as a grim reminder of a similar tragedy in 2010 when a remote-controlled bomb at a nearby Kohat police colony claimed 20 lives and mostly targeting the families of law enforcement personnel.
