Suicide Attack in Kohat Mosque Kills 16, Including Police

A suicide attack occurred at a mosque in the Kohat district of north-western Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of at least 16 people, including five police officers. The incident involved a bomb-laden vehicle crashing into the mosque, which is located near the Kohat police headquarters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief inspector general Zulfikar Hameed described the attack as a "suicide attack." At the time of reporting, a gun battle was still ongoing between the remaining attackers and security forces, with one assailant confirmed dead. A rescue operation was initiated to assist survivors.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his best wishes for the swift recovery of the injured, while Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes amid rising militancy in Pakistan's border regions, with the government accusing armed groups of using Afghan territory to organize attacks.