PTC Web Desk:  At least 15 persons were killed and more than 50 others injured after a powerful explosion near a mosque in Kohat district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday.

The blast took place around the time of Friday prayers. The explosion damaged the outer part of the mosque and brought down a wall, according to the police.

Tahir Ali Shah, an official at a government hospital in Kohat, said 15 bodies and more than 50 injured people were brought to the facility. Some police personnel were also among those injured. At least 25 persons are currently receiving treatment at the hospital.

Authorities have closed Kohat-Hangu Road following the incident. An emergency has also been declared at the hospital after the number of injured people increased.

The exact cause of the explosion is not yet known. Police and security agencies have started an investigation to determine how the blast happened and who may be responsible.

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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has sought a detailed report on the incident. He condemned the attack and said innocent people should not be targeted under any circumstances.

Afridi also directed officials to ensure immediate medical treatment for those injured. He said such attacks would not weaken the country’s resolve.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also condemned the explosion.

Kohat has seen major blast before

Kohat has witnessed a major bombing in the past. In 2010, a remote-controlled bomb exploded in a police residential area behind the police lines.

The attack killed 20 persons, most of them family members of police personnel. More than 90 persons were injured in that incident.