Police in southern Afghanistan say a suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden car in the center of Kandahar city Monday, killing three people and wounding at least 26 others.
Authorities say the attack happened outside a bank, as police officers were collecting their salaries.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai issued a statement condemning the violence. A NATO spokesman said the attack shows how desperate insurgents are to prevent the Afghan people from governing their own stable and free country.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
Also Monday, NATO said one of its service members was killed in a roadside bomb blast in southern Afghanistan.
In other incidents, a joint Afghan-NATO force killed numerous insurgents in two separate vehicle interdiction operations in southern Helmand and Kandahar provinces Sunday. A NATO statement says several suspected militants were detained.
More than 10 insurgents were killed and many others wounded during clearing operations in Helmand and Kapisa provinces over the last 24 hours.
NATO also says Afghan and NATO forces have discovered several large caches of weapons in eastern and southern Afghanistan. The weapons from all provinces have been confiscated and are to be destroyed.