Afghan blast kills at least 3, wounds 26

Police say an explosion near a crowd gathered to watch a dogfight in southern Afghanistan has killed at least three people and wounded 26.

Deputy provincial police chief Kamal Uddin saidan explosives-packed motorcycle was parked near a crowd on the southern outskirts of Lashar Gah.

Health Department director Dr. Inayat Ullah Ghafari said seven children were among the wounded.

Lashkar Gah is the capital of Helmand province, a Taliban stronghold that is the target of a planned joint offensive by U.S. marines and Afghan forces. No date has been set for the offensive to start.