UNSC strongly condemns deadly Kohat terrorist attack, calling for full accountability

The UN Security Council called the terrorist attack on Kohat Police Lines “heinous and cowardly" and expressed solidarity with Pakistan as the country retaliated with airstrikes on militant hideouts along the Afghan border.

Qom Desk

23 September 20262 min read

Image: webPhoto: QOM

Kohat: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Wednesday issued a firm condemnation of last week’s deadly terrorist attack in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, demanding that the perpetrators, organisers, financiers, and sponsors of the assault be brought to justice without delay.

The statement, delivered on behalf of the Council by French Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont in his capacity as UNSC President, described the attack as a “heinous and cowardly” suicide bombing. Expressing deep sympathies to the bereaved families and the Government of Pakistan, member states reiterated that any act of terrorism remains criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of motivation or location, urging all international partners to cooperate fully with Pakistani authorities in their ongoing investigations.

The coordinated violence unfolded on Friday, 18th September, when a suicide bomber detonated an explosives laden vehicle near a mosque within the old Police Lines compound during Friday prayers. Following the blast, heavily armed militants stormed the perimeter to attack security facilities. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, supported by Elite Force commandos and Counterterrorism Department (CTD) teams, engaged the attackers in a sustained firefight, neutralising eight terrorists and concluding clearance operations by Saturday. The attack claimed 23 lives, including 17 policemen and six civilians, in an area previously targeted in a similar 2010 bombing.

Responsibility for the attack was formally claimed by the Hafiz Gul Bahadur-affiliated faction, Ittehadul Mujahideen. The assault drew swift domestic condemnation, with KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi ordering an immediate high-level inquiry and declaring the targeting of innocent citizens unacceptable.

In response to the escalation, the Pakistani military executed decisive counter measures. On Monday, the Ministry of Information confirmed that armed forces conducted precision airstrikes against militant hideouts in the border region adjacent to Afghanistan, killing more than 28 terrorists.

Addressing commanders at the Peshawar Corps Headquarters, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir affirmed that the armed forces remain resolute in dismantling terrorist networks and establishing enduring stability across the region.