The attack occurred at a mosque inside a police headquarters in Kohat, near the Afghan border, where worshippers had gathered for Friday prayers.
An explosive-laden vehicle was rammed into the mosque’s entrance before gunmen attempted to enter the police compound, triggering a gun battle with security officers. Provincial police chief Zulfikar Hameed confirmed that the bombing was a suicide attack.
After the explosion, gunmen exchanged fire with police officers as they attempted to breach the compound, officials said.
At least 15 bodies and more than 50 injured people were initially taken to hospital, according to Dr Tahir Shah, as reported by the dpa news agency. He said the death toll could rise as several of the injured remained in critical condition.
Hospital officials confirmed that five police officers and 10 civilians were among those killed, while most of the wounded were worshippers, senior rescue official Bilal Faizi said.
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The mosque was badly damaged, while the outer wall of the police station collapsed. Residents said the blast was heard from a considerable distance.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. However, both the regional affiliate of ISIL, ISIS, and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, TTP, operate in the region and have regularly targeted security forces.
The attack came a day after a roadside bomb struck a security forces convoy in neighbouring Hangu district, killing six soldiers.
Pakistani security forces also conducted raids in several areas on Thursday and killed 10 fighters believed to be members of the TTP, according to the military and police. The TTP is separate from, but allied with, Afghanistan’s Taliban government, which returned to power in 2021.
Violence has increased in Pakistan’s remote areas near the Afghan border since then. Islamabad accuses the Taliban authorities of allowing armed groups responsible for attacks in Pakistan to operate from Afghan territory.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing and directed authorities to accelerate rescue operations.
The Ministry of Interior also condemned the attack, describing the actions of the perpetrators as “cowardly” and saying they would not weaken the country’s resolve.
Al Jazeera
