AKIPRESS.COM - Gunmen armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades attacked the Indian Consulate in western Afghanistan's Herat province on Friday, an assault that injured no diplomatic staff, The Hindu Times reported citing the police.

Indian diplomats said there had been a threat against its diplomats in Afghanistan, but gave no other details.

Three gunmen opened fire on the consulate from a nearby home, provincial police chief Abdul Sami Qatra said. Police killed two of the three gunmen, though one continued to fire on security forces trying to secure the area, Qatra said.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Afghanistan is experience a rise in insurgent attacks as foreign troops plan to withdraw from the country by the end of the year.

Syed Akbaruddin, official spokesman for India's Ministry of External Affairs, said a deployment of their own police at the consulate held off the assault until Afghan forces arrived. He said all Indians at the consulate were safe.