Bombing at dogfight kills dozens

A bombing at an outdoor dogfighting competition killed and wounded dozens of people in southern Afghanistan, an official and a witness said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary said “tens of people” had been killed and dozens more wounded, though officials did not yet have a precise count. He said it wasn’t yet clear whether the explosion was caused by a suicide attacker.

“All the police are there and they are evacuating the injured and the dead,” Bashary said.

An Associated Press reporter on the scene said five police vehicles were destroyed in the blast.

Dogfighting competitions are common in Afghanistan and can attract hundreds of spectators, who cram into a tight circle around the match.

The sport, banned under the Taliban, is one of few forms of public entertainment in Afghanistan. The matches also invite discreet gambling on the dogs.