Kohat attack kills 21 including 15 police officers

An explosives-laden vehicle struck the gate of Kohat’s police lines near a mosque during Friday prayers, followed by gunfire and further suicide blasts.

Police said 21 people were killed, including 15 officers, and 103 were injured; seven militants entered the compound and were killed in the response.

The mosque’s outer wall collapsed and nearby buildings were damaged in the assault on worshippers and law-enforcement facilities.

Pakistan has told UN forums that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which it also calls Fitna al-Khawarij, uses safe havens in Afghanistan; Kabul rejects the charge.

Alongside the Kohat violence, security operations continued in Balochistan, while India and Israel in February 2026 raised ties to a special strategic partnership.

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