Syria rebel mortar hits Russian embassy

The Russian embassy in Damascus has been hit by shells launched by rebel forces, the Russian foreign ministry says.

A mortar round has hit the compound of the Russian embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus, injuring three people, the Russian foreign ministry says.

"On September 22 as a result of shelling by the rebels of the Damascus neighbourhood of Mazzeh, one of the shells exploded on the territory of the Russian embassy in Syria," the ministry said in a statement.

"Three employees received non-life-threatening injuries. Right now an investigation of the incident is under way."

The statement did not say whether those hurt were Russian or local employees, but it added that the embassy was looking into additional security measures after the attack.

The opposition Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the incident was the first time that the embassy compound had been hit, although rebel forces arrayed in parts of the outskirts of the capital regularly fire rockets and mortar rounds into the city.

Russia is a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, providing him with diplomatic backing as well as weapons.

Moscow was a key force behind a deal under which Damascus will hand over its chemical weapons stocks for destruction, which headed off a US plan to take military action against the regime.