At least 16 people, including five police officers, have been killed after a vehicle loaded with explosives rammed into a mosque in northwestern Pakistan.
A senior police official in Peshawar confirmed the death toll following the attack near the police headquarters in Kohat district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Friday.
A gun battle was still ongoing between security forces and the attackers at the time of the report.
Authorities said one of the attackers had been killed, while rescue operations continued at the scene.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Chief, Inspector General Zulfikar ha-meed, described the incident as a “suicide attack”, according to Reuters.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the bombing and expressed his best wishes for the speedy recovery of those injured.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif also denounced the attack and offered condolences to the families of the victims.
The bombing comes amid increased militant activity in Pakistan’s border regions, with security forces and police personnel frequently targeted.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused armed groups based in Afghanistan of using safe havens to plan and carry out attacks inside the country.
The Afghan Taliban government has rejected the allegations, saying militancy in Pakistan is an internal security matter.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which shares a border with Afghanistan, has witnessed a rise in militant attacks in recent months.
Security operations in the region have frequently targeted fighters linked to various armed groups.
Authorities have yet to identify those behind Friday’s attack or provide details about the explosives used.
Security forces remained at the scene as investigations and rescue operations continued.
