Death Toll Rises to 31 in Pakistan Police Compound Attack

The death toll from an attack on a police compound in northwestern Pakistan has risen to at least 31, including 16 police personnel, according to AFP, citing a senior police official.

The attack occurred on Friday at the Old Police Lines complex in Kohat, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The compound houses several police units, including the Counter Terrorism Department and Special Branch.

According to officials cited by AFP, the assault involved an explosives-laden vehicle and armed attackers. The vehicle was driven into the police facility while officers and their families were gathered at a mosque for prayers. The explosion was followed by gunfire and an attack on the compound.

More than 100 people were reported injured, with several in critical condition. AFP reported that fighting was still continuing inside parts of the complex, with several militants reportedly holed up in the Special Branch section.

Earlier reports had put the death toll at 21. Pakistan’s Dawn and Geo News reported that 15 police personnel were among those killed and that more than 100 people were injured.

The attack caused extensive damage to the compound, with photographs from the scene showing collapsed walls, rubble and emergency vehicles around the site.

AFP reported that a militant group identified as Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan, described as a faction linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and directed authorities to provide medical assistance to those injured. President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed condolences and called for the elimination of militant groups, according to AFP.

The attack comes amid continuing militant violence in Pakistan’s northwestern regions, particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan.