CAIRO: Neo-Nazis attacked an Egyptian diplomat in the Ukrainian capital Kiev and the Ukrainian government has said it deeply regrets the incident, the Egyptian state news agency Mena said on Saturday.

A group of 12 people assaulted the diplomat, counselor Khaled Nader, in the city centre as part of a series of attacks on foreigners by racist groups, it said.

The agency did not say when the attack took place or whether the diplomat was injured. The Foreign Ministry spokesman was not immediately available to give more details.

As soon as he heard the news, Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit told the Egyptian embassy in Kiev to make a formal protest. The Ukrainian foreign ministry said it regretted the attack on the diplomat and the authorities are trying to identify his attackers, the agency added. -Reuters