KOHAT: The death toll from an attack on a police compound in Pakistan’s northwestern city of Kohat has risen to 26 after two more injured victims died, police said.
Dr Rab Nawaz and a young pushcart vendor were among those who died from injuries sustained in the attack, police said.
The assault began with a suicide car bombing at the Kohat Police Lines, followed by gunfire and hand-grenade attacks after the assailants entered the compound, according to details recorded in a case registered by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD).
Terrorism case registered at CTD station
The CTD registered the case against unidentified militants on the complaint of the station house officer of Kohat City Police Station. The charges include terrorism, murder and attempted murder, police said.
According to the first information report (FIR), an explosives-laden vehicle was used in the initial suicide attack. The attackers then opened fire and used hand grenades inside the police compound, killing and injuring police personnel and civilians.
Police personnel resisted the assault, while teams from the Pakistan Army, police and CTD later arrived at the scene and took part in the operation to contain the attackers and clear the compound, the FIR said.
The case records 21 deaths at the time the FIR was registered, with a large number of people injured. It also documents damage to public and private property.
The subsequent deaths of injured victims have raised the overall toll to 26, according to police. Earlier official figures had put the death toll at 24, including 17 police personnel and seven civilians, with about 130 people injured.
Security forces later completed a clearance operation at the compound after killing the attackers. Officials said the operation lasted roughly 20 to 21 hours and involved police, the CTD, Elite Force and other security personnel.
The investigation remains underway, with authorities yet to publicly identify the perpetrators. The CTD case covers the suicide bombing, subsequent shooting and grenade attacks, as well as the resulting deaths, injuries and property damage.
