Death toll from attack at police HQ in Pakistan rises to 31

The death toll from a militant attack at a police headquarters in Kohat, Pakistan has risen to 31, including 16 police personnel, according to a senior police official. The attack, which occurred on Friday afternoon, involved a suicide bombing and gun attack on the Old Police Lines complex in Kohat, a town of approximately 220,000 people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.

The police compound, which serves as a district-level headquarters, houses key offices of the Counter Terrorism Department, Special Branch, and several other police units. Several militants are still believed to be hiding within the Special Branch section of the complex, and an ongoing firefight is taking place. The exact number of militants involved remains unclear.

Pakistan has accused the Taliban, which denies involvement, of increasing attacks in KP and Balochistan, leading to a strained relationship between the two neighboring countries. Pakistan has conducted airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan, claiming they target militants.