Car bomb hits mosque near Kohat police lines in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 16 dead

A powerful bomb blast struck a mosque in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday during prayers. The mosque is located near the Kohat Police Lines. The blast killed 16 people and left more than 30 seriously injured. The death toll is feared to rise further.

Videos of the blast at the mosque are spreading rapidly on television and social media. The videos show people trapped under debris while those nearby try to rescue them. The administration has also launched a rescue operation at the site.

According to an initial statement issued by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed, the blast took place at the mosque near the Kohat Police Lines. Initial reports also indicate that a vehicle laden with explosives was driven into the building. In addition, a suicide bomber blew himself up near the Special Branch building, and clashes with Fitna al-Khwarij militants are also ongoing.

According to a local news channel, Tahir Ali Shah, the Medical Superintendent of the district headquarters hospital, said that more than 50 injured people were brought to the hospital along with 15 bodies after the blast. Most of those injured were people who were offering prayers at the time. The blast has also left a large crater outside the mosque.

Rescue 1122 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi said that rescue teams reached the site as soon as the news broke and began relief and rescue work. He further said that several injured people are being sent to nearby hospitals for first aid. Rescue teams are still present at the site and monitoring the situation.

Earlier this year in February, a major blast had also occurred at a Shia mosque in Islamabad. A suicide bomber had blown himself up there. More than 70 people were killed and 250 injured in that blast. It took place at the Khadija-tul-Kubra mosque-cum-Imambargah in Islamabad's Tarlai area.

According to police and eyewitnesses, the suicide bomber was stopped at the gate of the Imambargah but blew himself up there. Earlier in August, a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba operative was killed under suspicious circumstances at a mosque in Islamabad, where he had gone to offer prayers.