ATTACKS were reported on three U.S. bases in Afghanistan yesterday, just hours before ceremonies to commemorate the attacks on the United States last Sept. 11.

　　The U.S. military said a gunman fired on Bagram Air Base, the U.S. military headquarters in Afghanistan, while the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) news agency said rockets were fired at special forces bases near the eastern towns of Khost and Gardez.

　　No casualties were reported, but the attacks highlighted the continuing instability in Afghanistan and threat to U.S. interests 11 months after American forces attacked the country to pursue the al-Qaida network blamed for the Sept. 11 attacks.

　　Lieutenant Tina Kroske, a spokeswoman at Bagram, which is just north of Kabul, said an Afghan national directed "small arms fire" at the base at about 6.30 a.m. (10 p.m. EDT Tuesday) and was taken into custody.

　　The main road going through the base was shut temporarily as U.S. troops secured the perimeter.

　　The incident came hours before ceremonies at the base to commemorate Sept. 11, 2001. Officials at the base said a "retreat of flag ceremony" scheduled for the afternoon would go ahead despite the gunfire.

　　Bagram is the main base for 8,000 U.S. soldiers who are in Afghanistan hunting members of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network and remnants of the Taliban regime overthrown last year.