Montenegro: Man threw grenade at US Embassy then killed self

PODGORICA, Montenegro – An attacker threw a hand grenade at the U.S. Embassy in Montenegro’s capital and then killed himself with another explosive device, the government here said Thursday.

No one else apparently was hurt and there was no major damage. Police sealed off the area after the blasts around midnight (2300 GMT Wednesday).

The U.S. State Department said embassy officials were working with police to identify the assailant and was working internally to confirm all staff are safe.

Montenegro borders the Adriatic Sea in southeastern Europe and its capital is Podgorica. It joined NATO last year despite strong opposition from its traditional Slavic ally Russia.

Several people, including two Russian secret service operatives, are on trial in Podgorica on charges that they wanted to overthrow Montenegro’s government in 2016 because of its pro-Western policies.

The U.S. established diplomatic ties with the tiny Balkan state in 2006 after it split from much larger Serbia.

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Associated Press writers Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade, Serbia, and Josh Lederman in Washington contributed to this report.