Suicide bomber kills 17 and injures 20 in S. Afghanistan (UPDATE 2)

(The last paragraph was added.)

A suicide bomber blew himself up in Friday, killing 17 people and injuring 21 others in Spinboldak district of Kandahar province in south Afghanistan, Reuters reported.

The suicide bomber blew himself up in a public bathroom, RIA Novosti reported.
  
"A suicide bomber blew himself up in a public bathroom. The investigation is underweay," said Zalmai Ayoubi, spokesman for the provincial governor.

The preliminary investigation revealed that the militants was targeting one of the Afghan Border Guard officers, who had been inside the bathroom at the time of the explosion, Ayoubi said. The officer's condition was not specified.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has strongly condemned the blast in Kandahar, the press service of the President's office said. It was reported that Karzai expressed his condolences to the families of victims and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded. He ordered the security forces of the province to investigate the case.