Pakistan mosque bombing probe identifies Afghan attacker in Kohat assault

20-Sep-2026

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A suicide bombing at a mosque in northwest Pakistan that killed at least 21 people has been traced to Afghanistan, with investigators identifying one of the attackers as an Afghan national, officials said on September 19.

The attack took place during prayers September 18, when militants detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at the mosque and then stormed nearby police facilities in Kohat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. At least 103 people were injured. Most of those killed and injured were police personnel who were offering prayers at the mosque.

According to a member of the investigation team, one of the attackers has been identified as an Afghan national, while efforts are under way to establish the identity of the second attacker. Police, the counter-terrorism department, the Elite Force and other security agencies are jointly investigating the identities of the attackers and possible cross-border links.