Three militants along with a security man was killed when terrorists attacked the US embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus on Tuesday, the Syrian Interior Ministry said.
The three attackers were shot down by security men while the militants gunned down a member of the Syrian security force, the Syrian news agency SANA reported.
A fourth attacker was injured and detained.
Though nobody inside the embassy was injured, at least 14 others outside were injured in the militant attack.
Witnesses said the attackers shouting "Allah O Akbar" detonated a car bomb, threw grenades at the embassy and then began a gunbattle with the security forces.
A source at the nearby Chinese embassy said one Chinese diplomat was hit and slightly injured during the attack.
The four militants had tried to break into the US embassy "using grenades and guns", the interior ministry said.
The statement said the terrorists came in two cars. One of the cars was blown up and the other, parked in front of the embassy, had been booby-trapped.
Anti-terrorist forces had made this safe.
Witnesses said a burnt-out Lancer car was visible in front of the embassy, and a number of nearby cars had windows that were smashed.
{{/usCountry}}Witnesses said a burnt-out Lancer car was visible in front of the embassy, and a number of nearby cars had windows that were smashed.
{{/usCountry}}The identities of the attackers were not yet being disclosed, the interior ministry said.
Witnesses reported hearing more than 20 explosions and seeing heavy smoke over the area.