31 killed in attack on police headquarters in Pakistan — Taipei Times
At least 31 people were killed in Kohat in northern Pakistan as a result of an explosion and an armed attack on police headquarters. The dead included 16 police officers, while more than 100 people were injured, Taipei Times reported, citing a senior police official.
Attack on the complex
The attackers stormed the Old Police Lines complex in Kohat on Friday afternoon. The complex serves as the district police headquarters and houses the offices of the Counter Terrorism Department, the Special Branch and several other police units.
An official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the attack was accompanied by a suicide bombing. According to him, several militants remained in the Special Branch section of the Kohat police complex.
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Injured and authorities’ response
A Kohat district health official said late on Friday that police officers made up the majority of the more than 100 injured people. Several victims were in critical condition.
The local group Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan, linked to the Pakistani Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan movement, claimed responsibility for the attack. Footage from the scene showed military personnel near debris and damaged walls of the complex, as well as ambulances on a nearby street.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, ordered that the victims receive the best medical care and called for a report on the incident to be prepared. President Asif Ali Zardari expressed condolences over the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
