At least 16 killed after vehicle loaded with explosives rams into Pakistan mosque

In northwestern Pakistan, a suicide attack occurred when a vehicle packed with explosives crashed into a mosque in the Kohat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resulting in at least 16 fatalities, including five police officers, according to a senior police official in Peshawar. Immediately following the incident, a gun battle ensued between the assailants and security forces at the mosque, located near the police headquarters.

Reports indicate that one of the attackers was killed during the ensuing confrontation. A rescue operation is currently underway to aid the injured.

In response to the tragedy, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari conveyed his hopes for the quick recovery of the injured individuals. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief inspector general, Zulfikar Hameed, characterized the attack as a "suicide attack." No immediate claim of responsibility has been made. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif also expressed condemnation of the blast.

Militancy in Pakistan's border regions has surged dramatically in recent months, specifically targeting the military and police. Islamabad attributes the rise in violence to militants exploiting Afghanistan as a sanctuary for training and planning attacks within Pakistan. The Taliban government in Afghanistan has refuted these allegations, asserting that the issue lies within Pakistan's domestic affairs.