International officials in Afghanistan say seven people have been detained in the capital, Kabul, after peacekeeping patrols came under fire late Friday.
Lieutenant Colonel Neal Peckham, a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, says peacekeepers returned fire after about 30 gunmen armed with AK-47 assault rifles shot at the patrols in the western part of the city.
There were no reports of casualties and the motive for the attack was not clear.
The spokesman said most of the attackers fled, but seven were detained and handed over to Afghanistan's interim government for questioning. He said five of the gunmen were wearing police uniforms: one was dressed in military fatigues and five wore civilian clothes.
The British-led peacekeeping force in Kabul has come under attack several times in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press reports that forces of two rival Afghan commanders clashed overnight in a province west of Kabul, leaving at least nine fighters dead and 12 others wounded.
The news agency says the forces of Ghulam Rohani Nagali and Muzaffaruddin fought over control of Maidan Shahr, the capital of the province.
Afghan interim leader Hamid Karzai has asked repeatedly that the ISAF mandate be expanded to include areas outside Kabul, but the international community has been reluctant to send peacekeepers beyond the capital.