A rocket hit the road in front of the Chinese Embassy at around midnight on Tuesday in Kabul amid political tensions and tightened security in the Afghan capital since transitional president Hamid Karzai Monday dropped a major warlord as his running mate for the October 9 election.

"It happened at about 11:50 when a huge explosion shook the windows of the embassy building," Guo Hui, the secretary of Chinese ambassador said. No one was injured in the blast.

"The explosion is much stronger and nearer this time," he added saying the previous rocket attacks in the area were not as loud as this one. The rocket blew up a hole on the road, some 10 meters away from the embassy's Consulate Department, with some windows broken and glasses scattered on the walkway.

This was the fourth rocket attack that occurred in this area in the last two months. The country's Presidential Palace, Foreign Ministry and UN headquarters in Afghanistan are also located in the vicinity.

The Afghan government often blamed the ousted Taliban and its allies for such attacks. International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) soldiers have rushed to the scene to carry out an investigation into the attack.

(Xinhua News Agency July 28, 2004)