US and Afghans move against Zabul Taliban

Rumors had abounded that the Taliban had regained control of Zabul province in Afghanistan. More reliable reports on the ground indicated heavy Taliban activity, but not effective control.

Whatever the reality was, US airpower backed up by Afghan ground forces attacked growing Taliban formations, reportedly killing a great deal of them.

While this operation may be going well (who can trust the DoD?), it highlights the US' inability and/or unwillingness to extend effective control outside of Kabul and Kandahar. The Taliban shouldn't be able to mass anymore, not at this late stage in the game.

While in Iraq, this bodes poorly for the occupation:

Thousands of angry Shi'ite Muslims, many vowing revenge, thronged the streets of the Iraqi holy city of Najaf on Monday for the funerals of three men killed in a bomb attack that wounded a top cleric.
 
Ayatollah Mohammed Saeed al-Hakim, who was slightly injured in Sunday's bombing, is the uncle of the leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), criticized by some Shi'ites for cooperating with the U.S.-led occupation.

Posted August 25, 2003 10:30 AM | Comments (46)