Kohat Police Lines Operation Ends With Eight Militants Killed

PESHAWAR: Police and security forces completed an overnight clearance operation at Kohat's old Police Lines on Saturday, killing eight militants after a deadly assault on the compound a day earlier. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police said key sections of the complex had been cleared after an operation lasting about 21 hours, bringing the immediate security response to an end.

Officials said the death toll from Friday's attack had risen to 23. The assault began when an explosives-laden vehicle detonated near a mosque inside the Police Lines during Friday prayers, after which armed attackers entered the compound and targeted police facilities. More than 100 people were also reported injured in the violence.

According to an official police statement, Elite Force commandos, Counter-Terrorism Department teams and security forces took part in the clearance operation. The action was led by senior provincial police and CTD officers, while the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief and other senior security officials remained at the scene during the operation.

Police said four attackers had managed to penetrate deeper into the Police Lines compound. Two militants who were holding positions on the first floor of a building were killed after the clearance operation resumed early Saturday morning. One was neutralised by the security forces, while another, who had suffered severe burns, detonated explosives on himself, according to officials.

The operation also left a senior Counter-Terrorism Department officer injured. Officials said the additional inspector general of the CTD suffered a hand injury in a grenade attack while supervising the response from the frontline. After receiving first aid, he returned to the operation as security personnel continued clearing the affected buildings.

Among those killed in the original attack were police personnel as well as civilians, including a senior traffic police officer and a doctor associated with Kohat's district headquarters hospital. Funeral prayers for 15 police personnel were held on Friday evening, after which their bodies were sent to their home districts in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The militant group Ittehadul Mujahideen, led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The incident represents another major security challenge for Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where police and other law-enforcement personnel have repeatedly been targeted by militant groups. Authorities have increased security measures in Kohat following the attack, while investigations are expected to focus on how the attackers reached the highly sensitive Police Lines compound, the explosives and weapons used, and whether additional facilitators were involved. Provincial authorities have also sought a detailed report as the injured continue receiving treatment and security agencies assess the circumstances surrounding the assault.