An attacker threw a grenade at the US Embassy in the capital of Montenegro and then killed himself with another explosive device.

The area in Podgorica was sealed off by police, and the embassy warned Americans to avoid the area because of “an active security situation”.

Montenegro US Embassy
Police block off the area around the US Embassy in Podgorica after the attack (Risto Bozovic/AP))

Montenegro’s government said the unknown assailant hurled the grenade into the embassy compound at around midnight on Wednesday and then killed himself with another explosive device.

No-one else was hurt and there was no major damage.

Montenegro US Embassy
The US Embassy compound in Montenegro’s capital, Podgorica (Risto Bozovic/AP)

Montenegro borders the Adriatic Sea in south-eastern Europe and joined Nato last year.

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