At least 16 people, including five police officers, have been killed after a vehicle loaded with explosives rammed into a mosque in the Kohat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, north-western Pakistan, according to a senior police official in Peshawar. The attack occurred as worshippers were present at the site.

A gun battle is still ongoing between the attackers and security forces at the scene. One of the assailants has reportedly been killed, and a rescue operation is under way. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that the death toll could rise further.

In a statement, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari expressed "his best wishes for the swift recovery of those injured in the explosion." The attack underscores the persistent security challenges in the region, which has seen repeated militant violence.

Kohat district has previously been targeted by militant groups. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the assault, and local officials have not provided further details on the identity of the attackers.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk