The Indian consulate in the Afghan city of Herat was attacked early Friday morning by three gunmen who reportedly tried to enter the building and later fired shots from nearby buildings.
The ministry of External Affairs said that gunfire was still on until earlier.
The MEA also said that the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Afghan soldiers have repelled the attackers.
CNN IBN reported quoting DG of Indo-Tibetan Border Police that the gunmen involved have all been killed.
MEA said in latest update that the Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi called up the Indian Ambassador in Afghanistan and expressed his support to the staff at the Consulate in Heart.
PM designate @narendramodi calls up #India's Amb in #Afghanistan. Bolsters morale. Assures all support to brave staff at Consulate in Herat
— Syed Akbaruddin (@MEAIndia) May 23, 2014
The attack began at 3:25 am and lasted for several hours. The area has been surrounded by security forces, according to NDTV.
The local police was quoted as saying that three gunmen opened fire on the consulate from a nearby building with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades.
"Earlier this morning the consulate was attacked. Our brave ITBP personnel and Afghan soldiers were successful in rebutting the attack. All Indian personnel are safe," Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told the news channel adding that the Afghan officials were in touch with India. Senior officials including Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh was monitoring the situation.
Earlier, Syed Akbaruddin informed about the attack through Twitter:
#India's Consulate in Herat, #Afghanistan attacked. Brave ITBP personnel and Afghan soldiers rebut attackers. All safe. Operation underway.
— Syed Akbaruddin (@MEAIndia) May 23, 2014
#India-#Afghanistan officials in touch on attack on India's Consulate in Herat. Foreign Secy Sujatha Singh monitoring situation. All safe — Syed Akbaruddin (@MEAIndia) May 23, 2014
Herat lies near Afghanistan's border with Iran, and the place is considered to be the safest in the country. But the attack is likely to surprise many in the city.
Although it can't be said with certainty if the attack had any forbearance to the recent Indian election and the rise of Narendra Modi to power, the attack comes just on the day Pakistan was expected to confirm to India if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would come for Modi's swearing in ceremony on Monday.
Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai has confirmed that he would attend the oath taking ceremony scheduled for 26 May.
