The Afghan national has been identified as the suicide bomber involved in the deadly attack at a mosque inside the Kohat Police Lines. The development has added a new dimension to investigations into the September 18 attack, which targeted a police compound in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during Friday prayers.
The attack began when an explosives-laden vehicle was driven into the police compound, followed by an armed assault on the facility.
In this regard, the Pakistani officials said the incident left scores of people dead and more than 100 injured, although casualty figures have continued to change as the operation and medical response progressed.
In this sense, the several attackers were killed during the operation. So far, a faction linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has also been reported as claiming responsibility, although the circumstances surrounding the attack and the precise organizational links remain subject to investigation.
The identification of an Afghan national has renewed Pakistan’s longstanding concerns about militant activity originating from or operating through Afghan territory.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban authorities of allowing Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other militant groups to operate from Afghanistan. Kabul has rejected such allegations.
The United Nations monitoring report has separately documented the presence of more than 20 international and regional terrorist organizations in Afghanistan, including Al-Qaeda, TTP and ETIM.
In addition, another UN report said regional countries remained concerned about terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan and their potential cross-border effects.
Wider Security Concerns
The Kohat attack comes amid heightened security concerns in Pakistan’s northwestern areas bordering Afghanistan. The latest development is therefore likely to remain a focus of the investigation as authorities examine the attacker’s nationality, possible facilitators and the wider network behind the assault.
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While the identification of an Afghan national is a significant investigative development, it does not by itself establish responsibility by the Afghan government or Taliban authorities.
