BELGRADE, Serbia

A man in Serbia's capital Belgrade was shot dead after attacking a police officer in front of the Israeli Embassy on Saturday, the Balkan country's Interior Ministry said.

According to the ministry, a Gendarmerie officer identified as Milos Jevremovic used a weapon in self-defense on the attacker, who died due to his injuries, the ministry said.

Jevremovic works as a permanent security guard at the embassy.

The police officer was transported to an emergency center in a conscious state, where he will undergo an operation to remove an arrow from his neck.

An investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances of the attack and possible motives.

The ministry said the officer was shot in the neck with a bow and arrow.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic went to the emergency center to visit the injured officer who suffered serious injuries.

Dacic called the incident a terrorist act and said police detained another individual near the police facilities as a precaution.

Speaking at a news conference, he said that those involved were known to security forces.

Officials and diplomats of the Israeli Embassy were not in the building at the time of the incident when the officer was attacked.

"The police are investigating the case. We have no further details. At the time of the event, the embassy was closed, and its officials and diplomats were not in the building. We wish the wounded member of the gendarmerie a speedy recovery," the embassy told local broadcaster N1.