At least 16 killed in Pakistan car bomb near mosque

At least 16 individuals, comprising five police officers, lost their lives in northwest Pakistan on Friday following a suicide attack, according to police reports. The assailant detonated a vehicle laden with explosives near a police station, while worshippers were engaged in prayer at a mosque within the vicinity, police officials revealed.

The interior ministry confirmed the devastating blast in a statement on social media platform X, expressing deep sorrow over the tragic loss of life. The ministry, however, refrained from providing a precise count of the casualties. The incident unfolded in Kohat city, located within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, as the bomb struck the outer wall of the police facility.

Simultaneously, gunmen who were in the vehicle unleashed gunfire, as reported by provincial police chief Zulfikar Hameed. He further affirmed that the attack was indeed a suicide bombing. Responsibility for the heinous act had not been claimed at the time of reporting. Local media outlets reported that rescue efforts were underway, and the death toll might climb higher.

The explosion transpired in close proximity to a mosque where police personnel, their relatives, and numerous civilians were gathered to partake in Friday prayers, as confirmed by a police statement.