Clearance operation continues after deadly Kohat Police Lines blast as toll reaches 22

PESHAWAR/KOHAT: The clearance operation at the Kohat Police Lines remained under way on Saturday following an attack on the Police Lines mosque, as the death toll from the blast rose to 22 and the number of injured reached 130, according to officials.

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) said militants from ‘Fitna al-Khawarij’ entered the Special Branch building following the suicide attack on the mosque, prompting security forces to launch a clearance operation inside the high-security compound.

The department said multiple militants had been killed during the operation, while the action against the attackers was still continuing. Earlier, police said six militants were killed during the security operation.

According to the CTD, its additional inspector general has remained on the frontline since Friday afternoon, leading and overseeing the operation. The department said militants also targeted him with a grenade during the operation, injuring him in the hand. He was safe after receiving initial medical treatment and returned to the frontline to lead and support security personnel, it added.

The attack took place at around 1:20pm on Friday during prayers and triggered an intense exchange of fire between security forces and the attackers. Police said a suicide bomber blew himself up near the Special Branch building following the initial blast, while between five and seven militants were believed to have been involved.

Earlier casualty figures put the death toll at 21, including 15 police personnel and six civilians, with 103 people injured. The latest figures, however, put the toll at 22, with 130 injured.

Of the 103 injured reported earlier, 73 were police officers and 30 civilians. Thirty-four patients required major surgery, while four critically injured victims were shifted to hospitals in Peshawar for specialised treatment.

Rescue 1122 deployed 14 ambulances, 20 rescue vehicles, a recovery vehicle and more than 60 personnel to the operation.

No group had immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

The blast drew widespread condemnation from the country’s political leadership. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, Information Minister Shafi Jan and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack and expressed grief over the loss of life.

The leaders called for the injured to receive the best possible medical treatment. Afridi sought a detailed report into the incident and directed authorities to ensure emergency medical facilities, while Zardari said eliminating Fitna al-Khawarij and terrorists operating with external support was essential for national security. Naqvi expressed condolences to the families of those killed and said the attacks could not weaken the nation’s resolve.