At least 17 killed after vehicle loaded with explosives rams Pakistan mosque

A vehicle packed with explosives struck a mosque in north-western Pakistan, resulting in at least 17 deaths and 73 injuries, according to Pakistan’s news agency. The attack occurred during Friday prayers in the city of Kohat, in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as reported by the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP). Among the fatalities were seven police officers and a four-year-old child.

Video footage discovered by BBC Verify revealed the aftermath of the blast, with the site surrounded by rubble and individuals attending to the injured. Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari conveyed his hopes for the rapid recovery of the wounded in a statement. According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police Insp Gen Zulfikar Hameed, the incident was deemed a "suicide attack".

The police confirmed that all seven attackers perished in the explosion and the ensuing gun battle. A police spokesperson stated that the armed militants had tried to breach the police facility following the initial blast, as reported by the APP. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif expressed his condemnation of the incident.

Militancy in Pakistan's border regions has intensified in recent months, with armed groups targeting the military and police forces. Islamabad attributes the militant activity to Afghanistan, alleging that the territory serves as a safe haven for the groups to train and plan their attacks in Pakistan. However, Afghanistan's Taliban government denies these claims, asserting that the militant groups are a domestic issue for Pakistan.